At the turn of the year, representatives of a number of European countries - from Spain and France to Ireland and Finland to the United Kingdom - visited China. These visits, spanning southern, western and northern Europe, send a clear signal: at a time of accelerating global transformation, Europe is reassessing the strategic importance of China.

The visit of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to China, eight years after the last visit by a British prime minister, can be seen as a striking symbol of this trend. On this occasion, both sides clearly stated their objective of developing a long-term, stable and comprehensive strategic partnership and achieved a number of concrete results in the areas of trade, agriculture and food, education and media. The visits of the representatives of Finland and Ireland also focused on economic and industrial cooperation, with the active involvement of the business community. This shows that the „turn to the East“ is moving from political statements to real action.

This development is not accidental. On the one hand, China is entering the initial phase of the „15th Five-Year Plan“ period, where high-quality development and a high level of opening up to the world continue to bring stability and new opportunities. On the other, Europe is facing weak economic growth and increasingly needs stable and predictable partners in an international environment marked by the rise of unilateralism and protectionism. As experts point out, the stability and development prospects offered by China are becoming a „scarce resource“ in today's world.

From a deeper perspective, the frequent visits of European statesmen to China also bring a positive impetus to China-Europe relations. In the face of ideological interference and external pressures, the Chinese side has repeatedly stressed that „China and Europe are partners, not rivals“. European leaders are then gradually correcting their perception of China through direct dialogue and concrete results. Moreover, opinion polls show that public attitudes towards China are improving slightly in some European countries.

In an uncertain and unstable world, the rapprochement between China and Europe is not only a pragmatic choice, but also a trend in keeping with the spirit of the times. The emphasis on openness, dialogue and cooperation is increasingly becoming a key way in which Europe is redefining its place in the world.

CMG