Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, speaks at the 60th Munich Security Conference (MSC) at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof on February 17, 2024. This year's conference is held from Friday to Sunday, gathering an estimated 60 heads of state and over 85 government officials. Photo: AFP

After meeting with several high-level European officials at the just concluded Munich Security Conference (MSC), Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi embarked on trips to visit Spain and France. Chinese experts said Chinese Foreign Minister's visit to Europe and frequent exchanges with European officials at the beginning of the year signal that China is taking a more active initiative in stabilizing ties with European countries and strengthening communication. 

China is willing to work with Spain to grasp the China-Spain relationship from a global perspective and a long-term perspective, highlighting mutual trust and win-win cooperation, and emphasizing strategic stability and practical cooperation, in order to promote the continuous advancement of China-Spain relations to be at the forefront of China-EU relations, Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said when meeting with Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno on Sunday local time, according to a release published by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Both sides agreed to enhance cooperation in various fields such as telecommunications, healthcare, electric vehicles and green energy.

During the MSC, Wang engaged in what experts dubbed "candid and in-depth" conversations with a slew of European officials. He told German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Saturday that there is no fundamental conflict of interest between China and Germany and that their common interests are continuously strengthening and expanding. 

China stands ready to work with Germany to stay clear of disruptions, build more consensus, and understand and support each other on issues related to their respective core interests, said Wang Yi. 

China is ready to work with the European Union (EU) to promote an equal and orderly multipolar world, so that each country has its own place in the global multipolar system, Wang Yi told Josep Borrell, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, on the sidelines of the MSC on Friday.

Wang's visit to Europe at the start of the Chinese New Year signals that China is taking the initiative to stabilize China-Europe ties and to enhance communication between the two, Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at the Renmin University of China, told the Global Times on Monday. 

The expert explained that Wang Yi's trips to Germany and France, two traditional European powers, are customary and are expected to cement bilateral ties, as well as pave the way for higher-level visits. Wang Yi's visit to Spain marks his first to the Southern European country in nearly six years, which Wang Yiwei said marked Beijing's effort to reach out and improve ties with individual European countries, and also to stabilize China-EU relations in general; to complement China's attempt to push forward China-EU ties at multilateral level. 

Good start

Several Chinese experts who attended the MSC told the Global Times that the conference has mirrored Europe's anxiety toward its internal and surrounding environment, including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, Palestine-Israel conflict and the possible return of Donald Trump. 

Europe's perception on China is mixed with both anticipation and concern, Wang Huiyao, founder and president of the Center for China and Globalization (CCG), who attended the MSC, told the Global Times. Wang Huiyao pointed out that Europe's major concern is China's ties with Russia. 

When elaborating on China's stance on the Ukraine crisis, Wang Yi said during the MSC that China has stayed committed to promoting peace talks on the Ukraine issue and will not give up as long as there is a glimmer of hope. 

As the US presidential election looms closer, the continent also fears that the return of Donald Trump may dilute US support for Ukraine, as well as the continent. Trump sparked fierce criticism from Western officials for suggesting he would not protect countries that failed to meet the transatlantic military alliance's defense spending targets, and would even encourage Russia to attack them, Reuters reported.  

Western media, including CNN, has claimed that Wang Yi's trip is a way for China to capitalize on Europe's apprehension regarding a potential Trump win and court European countries by leveraging their concerns.

Wang Yiwei pointed out that such claims ignore China's consistent and long-standing emphasis and effort in improving ties with Europe. Wang Yiwei asserted that the current juncture presents an opportunity to engage with Europe regarding China's stance on the Ukraine crisis. Given the prolonged duration of the crisis, European nations have gradually grown less emotional and more rational perspectives on the crisis. 

Wang Huiyao believes that European countries are also eyeing China's ability of serving as a stabilizing force in a more turbulent world. "I think European countries are widely expecting to engage with China so to get back to the more stable and health track."

Not plain sailing

Europe's anxiety is also projected onto competition with China. The European Union (EU) is for the first time planning to sanction companies in the Chinese mainland, and in other countries including Turkey, India and Serbia, for helping Russia circumvent sanctions and buy dual-use goods, US media Politico cited several diplomats as saying.

The EU announced earlier that it started an investigation into CRRC Qingdao Sifang Locomotive over the so-called subsidy issue. In response, Mao Ning, spokesperson of Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on Monday that China hopes the European side will take a cautious attitude on the tools of foreign subsidy regulations, resolve specific trade issues through dialogue and consultation, and create a fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies.

Experts said the rational forces in Europe often perceive China as a valuable partner for cooperation and healthy competition. However, the media and parliament often resort to inflammatory language to criticize China. As a result, Europe's perspective on China is complex and contradictory. On one hand, it heavily relies on Beijing for trade, but on the other hand, it sets various obstacles for cooperation in response to pressure from their anti-China figures on the continent and that from the US.

Jiang Feng, a research fellow at the Shanghai International Studies University, said that in the past year, China and Europe had 12 high-level meetings, which is very rare and valuable. "These frequent exchanges have not only underscored the strategic importance of China-Europe relations but have also unveiled a substantial demand for negotiations from both sides." 

Experts said 2024 is expected to witness increased exchanges between China and Europe at various levels. These exchanges are deemed crucial in enhancing mutual understanding and perception between the two sides. Additionally, amid the anticipated turbulence in the new year, collaboration between China and Europe and their support for each other may pave the way for a fresh beginning in their bilateral relations.