After 50 years of China-EU relations, hope that trust can grow

As the European Union and China mark 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the European Commission says that, in an era of conflicts and intense competition, trusted friends are needed. 

Trade tensions between Brussels and Beijing persist but work is taking place behind the scenes in relation to holding a summit to mark the anniversary in the coming months. 

The relationship between the EU and China has evolved dramatically over the past five decades. Today bilateral trade between China and the European Union stands at over $750 billion per year. 

According to data from 2023, approximately 20 percent of the EU's imported goods came from China, making it the bloc's largest single trading partner. 

However, the Chinese Chamber Of Commerce to the European Union (CCCEU) says that a previous focus on broader trade has shifted in recent years to the tech sector and the green economy. 

"Both China and the EU set very ambitious goals with regard to the emission peak and climate neutrality and we have a clear roadmap when the two sides will achieve that," said Liang Linlin, the CCCEU's Director of Communication and Research. "So a very clear roadmap and now it's about implementation."

There are still multiple bumps in the road. Last year the EU imposed additional tariffs of up to 35 percent on Chinese-made electric vehicles. The bloc says Chinese subsidies have created an unfair playing field. Beijing rejects this and says the EU's protectionist policies are harming its green transition. 

The European Union describes China as both a partner for cooperation and a systemic rival. While seeking to de-risk the bloc's economy, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says the EU should seize the opportunity to engage with China. 

The EU says it is seeking to expand mutually beneficial trade and investment ties. However, with a trade deficit amounting to over $300 billion in China's favor, officials say addressing asymmetries in the relationship remains a priority. 

"We have made very clear where we see the potential in the EU-China relationship but we've also been very clear where we see the challenges and where we would need to see some movement from China on, for example, market access, the business environment and so on," said European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill. 

Some analysts say rising trade tensions with the U.S. and the Trump administration's more protectionist policies have heightened the need for fresh approaches. 

"Europe can not go it alone and that's the reality of it. This sense of pulling up the drawbridge and we'll produce everything in the EU is simply naive and it's politics. It's a faux term to provide some sort of safety," said Dharmendra Kanani, Chief Spokesperson and Chief Operating Officer at Friends of Europe, in an interview with CGTN. 

Amongst EU members and officials, there are hopes that this year's milestone of diplomatic ties between China and the EU can serve as a platform to break down barriers and start to rebuild trust.