US erred in leaving China on sidelines: Dutch journalist

Xi is the first Chinese president to have visited Brussels, with a key function of the March 2014 trip being to improve business relations. His three-day schedule included a meeting with Belgian royalty, and meetings with European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, and European Parliament President Martin Schulz.

Obemma sees the trip as just the beginning. "Leaving politics aside and just focusing on economic cooperation, I think a lot could happen between China and Europe," he says.

There is a crucial opportunities for progress in November, says Obemma, when the EU and China meet for the eighth round of bilateral investment treaty talks. China accounts for less than 5 percent of European investments abroad and foreign direct investment from China is less than 3 percent of the total FDI inflow to the EU, according to a report from the Beijing-based law firm King & Wood Mallesons. Both the EU and China hope a comprehensive bilateral investment treaty will narrow the gap between trade and investment levels.

Obemma says Europe is in a very difficult position because of the refugee and euro crises and that the only solution to both problems is to strengthen Europe on an institutional level in Brussels. "And if China takes Brussels more seriously then at least that is some kind of help; I don't expect China to solve our euro crisis - we have to do it ourselves."

He says there are other ways that China can expand its presence on the world stage, especially when it comes to global security and the fight against Islamic State terrorists. "These are barbarians that the international community has to fight, and I think, when we're talking about behaving responsibly on an international level, everybody should join this fight. As a superpower, China should do it as well."

It does not mean China should neglect its domestic challenges. Obemma has become well versed in the country's priorities, namely fighting corruption, income inequality and dealing with pollution, after meeting and talking to hundreds of Chinese.

He says that China has faced these three challenges for years and that there is a clear need to overcome them. "In my view, when it comes to China on a domestic front, I think the biggest problem is the environment," he says.

The second priority is the anti-corruption campaign. "The third one for me would be for me the gap between the rich and poor," says Obbema, adding that his big wish for China is that the leadership takes the opportunity in the coming five years to build a social safety net.

In an opinion piece for The Independent in London, published in August, he wrote: "It is important to note that China still has the largest number of poor people in the world, after India, despite decades of growth." Economic woes, such as slower growth and turbulent markets, will have an impact on income inequality. Improved welfare measures will benefit the country.

"It is really necessary for China to make the transition to a consumption-led economy," Obbema says.