On September 27, Tsinghua University’s China Forum and Department of International Relations jointly held a seminar on the developments, opportunities and challenges in China-Europe relations.

The seminar was moderated by Matteo Garavoglia, research associate, Department of Politics and International Relations at Oxford University and a visiting Associate Professor of Tsinghua's department of lnternational Relations. China Forum Secretary General Zhang Lirong and Expert Tang Xiaoyang made opening and concluding remarks respectively. The event also featured Matt Ferchen, senior research scholar in law, Yale Law School; Cui Hongjian, professor, Academy of Regional and Global Governance, Beijing Foreign Studies University; Rosemary Foot, professor, Department of Politics and International Relations, Oxford University; Shi Yan, fellow, Center for International Security and Strategy, Tsinghua University; Abigaël Vasselier, former deputy head, Division for China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Mongolia, European External Action Service; Men Jing, director, Center for European Studies, East China Normal University; and Othon Anastasakis, director, European Studies Centre, Oxford University.

China and Europe need stronger communication amid the challenges in their relations, and should work together in a way that both sides can win, said Zhang Lirong and Matteo Garavoglia. They encouraged the academic communities to share more insights and constructive initiatives to promote bilateral cooperation.

Panelists then explored in more depth the prospects of economic cooperation, mutual understanding and trust, and people-to-people exchanges between China and Europe, China-US-Europe ties and other topics. They agreed that it is even more important today to create effective communication channels amid challenges in the bilateral relationship; the two sides should make concerted efforts to maintain contact, build trust, and empower cooperation in more areas.