
Despite the established comprehensive strategic partnership between China and the EU, mutual trust is still lacking.

China has been supportive of a united, stable, and prosperous Europe in its effort to promote a multipolar world order. Even during the EU’s most difficult period during the European debt crisis, China stood by and invested in crucial member states.

The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was established far earlier than the BRI, and it has become a sophisticated framework for China’s partnerships with African countries. Thus, FOCAC can be a mini-version of multilateral cooperation that aids the implementation of BRI projects.

Amid the threats of an inward-looking United States and rising European populism, cooperation between the EU and China is more necessary than ever.

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is solidifying relations between the two nations but the project faces multiple security and political challenges.

While Chinese investments could increase the odds of Greece staying within the Eurozone, it will not resolve the structural problems that demand political consensus from within the EU.

The Hangzhou G20 summit may offer an opportunity for European leaders to decisively challenge zero-sum rhetoric and contribute to a flourishing and prosperous global economy.

Europe’s decision about whether to grant China market economy status is a major inflection point in China-EU relations.

Regional actors like China, India, and Pakistan can cooperate effectively through multilateral platforms to promote reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan.

China must stand with the EU at this moment of reckoning and proactively participate in the debate about Europe’s future.