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From rivals to partners, China and Europe are retooling ties, adviser says
A succession of leaders have beaten a path to Beijing with pragmatic cooperation in mind, according to former ambassador Wu Ken
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China’s international clout and economic stability are rebalancing Beijing’s relations with Europe, putting more focus on cooperation and less on rivalry, according to a former Chinese envoy.
“With European leaders coming to China one after another, they are coming with their own considerations: hoping to strengthen bilateral relations in the new context and find ways to benefit from China’s continued development,” said Wu Ken, China’s ambassador to Germany from 2019 to 2024.
On the sidelines of China’s “two sessions” on Thursday, Wu said that fostering cooperation, rather than regarding China as Europe’s rival, would be in the best interests of both Europe and China.
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European leaders have made a flurry of visits to China in recent months as the United States has upended relations with its traditional allies with tariff threats and a push to acquire Greenland.
Spain’s King Felipe visited in November, French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in December and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz made the trip in late February. Leaders from Britain, Ireland and Finland also made their way to Beijing.
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Since 2019, the European Union has defined its relationship with China through a “tripartite” strategy, seeing China as a cooperation partner, economic competitor and a systemic rival – all at the same time.
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