China, EU celebrate 40 years of diplomatic ties in Brussels

Helga Schmid, Deputy Secretary-General of the European External Action Service, speaks at the celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of EU-China diplomatic relations on May 6 in Brussels. Photo by Gao Shuang

Thomas Christiansen, professor and chair in European Institutional Politics at Maastricht University, said the EU has developed a strong focus on East Asia and recognized the importance of developing further its relations with China even though EU has been preoccupied with domestic problems at home.

Andrea Frontini, a policy analyst of "Europe in the World Programme" at European Policy Centre said: "Mogherini's visit to Beijing is certainly an important political signal that relations with China are deemed as a promising frontier for EU's international relations."

"Given China's growing clout, further developing foreign policy and economic relations must be a top priority for EU,"says Ulrich Volz, Bonn-based senior researcher at German Development Institute (DIE).

Kerry Brown, associate fellow at Chatham House in London, said: "EU and China, both supporters of global stability and rule-based economic structures, will walk more closely together."

"Trade and climate change will rank high on the agenda for the coming summit," said Fredrik Erixon, director of the European Centre for International Political Economy.

Fraser Cameron, director of EU-Asia Center, a think tank based in Brussels, said: "There is also tremendous potential for cooperation in infrastructure projects, including the Silk Road initiate."

In a longer term, European experts are optimistic about the huge space of EU-China cooperation potential in all aspects.

Bernt Berger, head of Asia Program at Stockholm-based Institute for Security and Development Policy, said they have a lot of potential to cooperate on all kinds of issues related to international security, development, environment and climate change multilaterally.

"China and EU have common interests in infrastructure across the Eurasian landmass as well as in security in the areas," said Berger adding that the cooperation potential remains high in economic relations as well as on diplomatic level.

According to Mark Halle, vice-president of Europe office of International Institute for Sustainable Development, said environmental sustainability and climate change issues will remain the top priorities on EU-China cooperation agenda.

"But besides, a more active role of China in helping to solve key regional conflicts would be welcome – and not only in its own backyard," said Halle pointing an alliance between China and EU could be welcome.

Because of China's functional contribution to negotiations on Iranian nuclear programme, European experts are confident China can play a more constructive role in global security and peace.

"With greater power comes greater responsibility, and it will be good to see China play a responsible role not only in its own region but also globally," Christiansen said.

Frontini emphasized EU's close links to be built with China is not only for the expected economic and financial benefits, but also as a way to widen the broader spectrum of their diplomatic interlocutors around the world.

"Greater Sino-EU cooperation can also help to revive global cooperation including other key powers, including, not least, the United States," expert said.