Photo:fmprc.gov.cn

China is welcoming a flurry of European officials as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held the second China-Portugal strategic dialogue at the foreign ministers' level with Portugal's Minister of State and Foreign Affairs Paulo Rangel in Beijing on Tuesday. Meanwhile, French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot is set to visit China from Thursday to Friday.

Chinese experts said that the US' tariffs and the dramatic changes in the transatlantic alliance have led Europe to turn to China for closer cooperation to cope with the immense pressure from the US. AI cooperation could become one of Europe's key focuses.

During talks with Rangel, Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said that China and Portugal have a good tradition of mutual respect and support, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Noting that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Portugal comprehensive strategic partnership and the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the EU, Wang Yi said that China is ready to work with Portugal to build a more stable, fruitful and dynamic China-Portugal relationship and make China and Europe strategic partners of mutual trust and achievements.

Wang Yi noted that in the face of a world mixed with turbulence and uncertainties, solidarity and cooperation are the only right choices for all countries. China places high importance on the unique role Portugal plays in the EU and on the international stage, and is willing to strengthen collaboration with Portugal, firmly uphold multilateralism and defend the role of the UN. 

Rangel said Portugal attaches great importance to Portugal-China relations and firmly adheres to the one-China policy.

On China-EU relations, Wang Yi said China views Europe as an important pillar in a multipolar world and supports Europe in maintaining strategic autonomy. China is committed to expanding opening-up and cooperation with the region and promoting the healthy development of China-EU ties, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Liu Jianchao, head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee also held talks with Rangel on Tuesday. Liu said China and Europe share broad common interests. Both sides support multilateralism and free trade, and oppose protectionism and isolationism. China and Europe are partners, not rivals and the two sides present opportunities, not challenges, according to a readout from International Department of the CPC Central Committee.

Ricardo Arroja, president of investment promotion agency AICEP, accompanied Rangel to China. Arroja will hold meetings with representatives from various fields to explore opportunities in innovative and strategic sectors, such as the automotive sector, electric mobility and energy, according to the Portugal News. 

French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot will visit China from Thursday to Friday at the invitation of Wang Yi, announced the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday. 

This will be Barrot's first visit to China after coming into office, noted the ministry's spokesperson Guo Jiakun. Guo said it is imperative for China and France to enhance strategic communication and contribute to world peace, stability and development. Through this visit, China hopes to work with France to consolidate political mutual trust and guard against the undertows of unilateralism and the law of the jungle.

According to a spokesperson of French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the two sides will cover relations between the EU and China, economic and commercial issues, and the response to global challenges. He will visit Beijing and Shanghai for the two-day trip.

The consecutive visits by European officials come as tensions between US and the EU have significantly escalated recently, where both sides threatened retaliatory counter tariffs on billions of dollars worth of goods, as Reuters put it. 

"The transatlantic alliance is going through the biggest changes since WWII, marked by a fundamental divergence in shared values, which has put immense pressure on Europe. Therefore, Europe is hoping to repair and forge closer ties with the other major power of the world, such as China," Wang Yiwei, director of Center for European Union Studies at Renmin University of China, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

The visits also reflect the anxiety of EU countries. With its relations with the US deteriorate, the EU is forced to invest more in its defense capabilities, further exacerbating fiscal pressures. Additionally, the EU's previous stance toward China, influenced by the Biden administration, has brought negative impacts on China-EU ties, which ended up hurting its own, Zhao Junjie, a senior research fellow at the Institute of European Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times.

Moreover, China's advancements in artificial intelligence, especially the emergence of DeepSeek, sent a shockwave to Europe. The European officials may be seeking cooperation in this regard to make breakthroughs in their AI industry, Wang Yiwei noted.

EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic will also reportedly visit China on Thursday, per the South China Morning Post. 

This series of visits could signal the improvement of trade relations, according to Wang Yiwei.