2025年是中欧建交50周年，双方互致贺电并举行第25次领导人会晤，习近平主席提出相互尊重、开放合作、多边主义三大原则。这一年，中欧高层互动频繁，法国、西班牙等国元首相继访华。双方在经贸领域保持稳定增长，在气候变化等全球议题上深化合作。与此同时，双方在半导体投资、稀有金属供应链等领域也面临摩擦与博弈。就此，我院赖雪仪副教授接受了中国日报网的采访。
赖雪仪副教授认为，欧盟在安世半导体案中表现出谨慎态度，避免被进一步卷入中美贸易与技术战，倾向于在企业层面寻求解决方案，而非支持荷兰政府的行政干预。她指出，中方要求撤销行政令和法院裁决以稳定全球供应链。如果荷兰能够尽快结束此案，将标志着其对华政策回归务实主义，这一举动将受到中国及国际社会的欢迎。
Past year full of China-Europe highlights
A big anniversary, improving trade ties, and state visits among 2025's moments to remember
The year 2025 marked the 50th anniversary of China and the European Union establishing diplomatic relations. During the past half century, China-EU relations have evolved through dialogue, cooperation, and occasional challenges, shaping one of the world's most important bilateral partnerships. China Daily has interviewed experts about the 10 key events that defined China-EU relations in 2025.
1. China-EU 50th anniversary and 25th summit
On May 6, President Xi Jinping exchanged congratulatory messages with President of the European Council Antonio Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, to warmly celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the EU.
On July 24, the two sides held their 25th summit in Beijing, where Xi met with Costa and von der Leyen. The milestone anniversary added significance to the summit, as both sides assessed how to steer their ties amid shifting global dynamics.
During the meetings, Xi said China-EU relations had arrived at "another critical juncture", and called on leaders from both sides to demonstrate renewed vision and provide the world with greater stability and predictability through sound, steady relations.
For the future development of China-EU relations, Xi made three proposals: The two sides should uphold mutual respect and consolidate the positioning of China-EU relations as a partnership; they should uphold openness and cooperation and properly manage differences; and they should practice multilateralism and uphold international rules and order.
Li Xing, director of the European Research Center, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies and an adjunct professor of international relations at Aalborg University in Denmark, said the China-EU summit offered both sides an opportunity to reaffirm their long-standing partnership. The summit signaled a shared commitment to maintaining engagement amid complex global circumstances.
While challenges, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict, trade imbalances, and the EU's internal structural contradictions, continue to shape the context, China's strong role in global supply chains and renewable energy technologies also creates opportunities for cooperation.
2. China prolongs its visa-free policy for multiple EU states
China further broadened its visa-free access for European travelers in 2025, extending a major unilateral exemption policy well into 2026.
On Nov 3, China announced the visa-free arrangement for more than 30 European countries would be prolonged until Dec 31, 2026. During this period, holders of ordinary passports from participating countries can enter China without a visa for business, tourism, family visits, or transit, for stays of up to 30 days.
A total of 34 European countries have been included in China's unilateral visa-free program, marking one of the country's most extensive efforts to facilitate cross-border travel and boost people-to-people exchanges.
Men Jing, director of East China Normal University European Research Center, said China's visa-free policy for multiple EU member states directly strengthens people-to-people connectivity, which has long been one of the stabilizing pillars in the China-Europe relationship. Reducing entry barriers allows European academics, students, businesspeople, and tourists to reengage with China firsthand, which will further revitalize commercial exchanges. Even in an era of so-called "de-risking", the EU still needs stable channels for commercial interaction with China.
In addition, visa-free access sends a signal of goodwill and openness at a time when political trust between China and the EU is fraying. China's removal of travel barriers creates space for constructive diplomacy, helping to rebalance a relationship that is marred by disputes over market access, technology security, and geopolitical alignment.
3. Bilateral trade remains stable and sees growth
Although China-EU trade data for the full year has not yet been released, figures from the first half, along with other available indicators, suggest bilateral trade is on track to grow. According to official data in June, the EU remained China's second-largest trading partner during the first five months of 2025, with total trade reaching 2.3 trillion yuan ($317 billion), a 2.9 percent year-on-year increase and accounting for 12.8 percent of China's total foreign trade.
China continues to be the EU's largest source of imports, while two-way investment has also risen, compared with 2024.
Notably, several innovative Chinese companies have been expanding their presence in Europe. Battery manufacturer CATL has increased investment in Hungary, and automaker BYD is planning further investment in Spain. These moves are being echoed by European enterprises, including Volkswagen, which is setting up a joint R&D center in Hefei, Anhui province.
Ding Chun, director of the Center for European Studies at Fudan University, said that on the one hand, rising two-way investment and steadily growing bilateral trade demonstrate the strong resilience of China-EU economic cooperation and reflect a broad attitude of both competition and collaboration. On the other hand, the impact of geopolitics on economic relations has also become evident, as Europe repeatedly launched accusations concerning alleged "subsidies" to Chinese companies, and the investment conditions for Chinese enterprises in Europe have tightened.
Looking ahead, the economic and trade links between China and the EU will remain close and cannot easily be "decoupled". Europe faces mounting economic pressures both internally and externally, while China is working to achieve the goals outlined in its newly adopted suggestions to the outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), getting enough room for improving China-EU economic relations.
4. China and Europe collaborate in the face of US tariffs
In early 2025, the US administration levied unilateral high tariff rates on major economies. Both China and the EU were on the receiving end, and the US itself also had to bear the disruptive impact.
By April 2025, the US had threatened to raise tariffs on a broad range of Chinese goods to as high as 125 percent, more than doubling import costs in many cases. Following a 25 percent duty on a broad range of EU imports in February, the US reimposed a 25 percent tariff on steel and aluminum imports from the EU in March.
Both China and the EU have engaged in negotiations with the US over the tariff issue, and public opinion in China and Europe has been remarkably aligned, overwhelmingly opposing the US tariffs.
Dai Yichen, director of the Institute of European Studies, Institute of International Relations, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, said US tariff pressure had further complicated existing trade frictions between China and the EU, yet both sides had a strong political willingness to respond to each other's concerns through dialogue. China has maintained relative stability and continuity in its policy toward Europe, consistently viewing the EU as a strategic partner that promotes multipolarity and supports globalization.
China said it hopes European leaders and businesses will take a rational view of the differences between the two sides and of the reasonable competition that objectively exists, while it is in the interests of both for them to work together to tap into their complementary advantages to expand cooperation in emerging industries, such as green energy, the digital economy, and artificial intelligence.
5. France's president paid a state visit to China
France's President Emmanuel Macron paid his fourth visit to China from Dec 3 to Dec 5, during which China and France issued joint statements on strengthening global governance, responding to global climate and environmental challenges, promoting cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, boosting exchanges and cooperation in agriculture and food, and on the situations in Ukraine and Palestine.
Zhao Yongsheng, director of the French Economic Studies Center at the University of International Business and Economics, said Macron's visit to China could be described as a diplomatic success on three fronts. First, acting on behalf of France and French businesses, he secured substantial commercial agreements with China, giving fresh momentum to bilateral economic cooperation. Second, in his capacity as a leading voice within the EU, Macron sought to stabilize China-EU relations and contribute to broader mediation efforts on the Russia-Ukraine crisis. Third, his trip further deepened cultural and educational exchanges, reinforcing the humanistic foundations of the bilateral relationship.
The visit not only reaffirmed the long-standing political ties between China and France, but also demonstrated that countries with different political systems are fully capable of building durable and constructive political trust.
6. Spain's king and queen paid a state visit to China
King Felipe VI of Spain and his wife Queen Letizia paid a state visit to China between Nov 10 and Nov 13, which was the first visit by a Spanish king in 18 years.
As the two countries celebrated the 20th anniversary of their comprehensive strategic partnership, Felipe's state visit was of great significance to the further advancement of friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
Yan Xiaoxiao, a research fellow at the Institute of International Relations at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, said Felipe's visit to China underscores Spain's consistent approach of viewing relations with China from a strategic perspective and pursuing a pragmatic, cooperation-focused China policy centered on economic engagement.
The visit also demonstrated that EU member states, such as Spain, are willing to resist pressure from the US and uphold Europe's strategic autonomy. This, in turn, carries significance for encouraging the EU to adopt a more positive and constructive policy toward China.
7. China-Germany relations enjoy win-win cooperation
On Nov 23, Premier Li Qiang met with Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Li said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Germany 53 years ago, the two sides had continuously strengthened dialogue and cooperation, effectively promoting the common development of both countries. In China-Germany relations, mutual respect is the principle, and win-win cooperation is the defining feature.
Merz said Germany and China have long been important economic and trade partners for each other, with highly complementary economies. Germany attaches importance to developing relations with China and believes China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) will bring opportunities to both Germany and the EU.
Zheng Chunrong, director of the German Studies Center at Tongji University, said China-Germany relations are now at a pivotal moment. The year 2025 marked both the 50th anniversary of China-EU diplomatic ties and the 10th anniversary of the China-Germany comprehensive strategic partnership. The trajectory of bilateral relations is therefore closely intertwined with the broader dynamics of China-EU relations.
Economic and trade cooperation has long served as an important link between China and Europe, but under the influence of geopolitics, certain political forces in Europe are attempting to treat economic ties as a tool of coercion. China and Germany must work to ensure that their bilateral relationship does not fall victim to such pressures.
The scale of China-Germany economic engagement remains enormous. In the first three quarters of 2025, bilateral trade once again surpassed Germany-US trade, making China Germany's largest global trading partner. However, to consolidate and deepen cooperation, both countries must identify and cultivate new areas of joint growth.
8. EU-China high-level environment and climate dialogue
On June 14, the Sixth EU-China High-Level Environment and Climate Dialogue, or HECD, was held in Beijing.
The two sides discussed their respective domestic climate, energy, and environmental policies, as well as bilateral cooperation and multilateral negotiations, reconfirmed that the HECD is an important platform for the exchange of views and cooperation and for advancing implementation and ambition. Two separate dialogues on the circular economy and energy have also been held.
Qin Yan, a principal analyst at Norway-based ClearBlue Markets, said that amid complex trade tensions, the dialogue in Beijing proved that the green partnership remains a most resilient bridge between Brussels and Beijing.
The dialogue also stands out as a resounding victory for global climate governance. In a year often defined by fragmentation, the event was a beacon of shared climate ambition. The joint commitment to accelerating the circular economy and locking in aggressive renewable goals ahead of COP30 was a master-class in bilateral leadership. The dialogue proved that the EU-China green partnership is not only resilient but the driving force propelling the world toward a sustainable future.
9. China and the EU ensure stable supply chains
In late 2025, after a period of export-control tension, the EU and China worked out a new "special channel" to ensure the stable supply of rare earths and critical raw materials to European industry, which is vital for sectors including EVs, battery production, green technologies, and electronics.
The move followed China's export controls on rare earths, which raised concerns in Europe after their introduction earlier in the year about potential disruptions to the production of electric vehicles, wind turbines, and other technologies that depend on permanent magnets.
The Chinese authorities agreed to suspend expansion of restrictive export controls for at least a year, and to prioritize export license applications from European companies, which helped avert immediate supply-chain crises in Europe.
Jian Junbo, director of the Center for China-Europe Relations at Fudan University, said the rare earth issue was a good example of mutual dependence between China and the EU. If the EU approaches its economic and trade relations with China purely through the lens of geopolitical rivalry and "de-risking" industrial chains, it will inevitably prompt China to respond from its own security and geopolitical considerations. The result would be a negative downward spiral for the entire international economic order.
If Europe wishes to restore a healthy global economic system, it must return to an open, fair, and multilateral framework, rather than imposing a security-driven or geopolitical interpretation on economic interactions. Only in this way can global and bilateral economic relations return to a positive and sustainable track.
10. Nexperia case moves toward a resolution
With the stated reason that Nexperia, a semiconductor company owned by Chinese parent company Wingtech Technology, had "serious governance shortcomings" that posed a "threat" to crucial technological knowledge and capabilities, and economic security, the Netherlands government announced on Sept 30 it would take control of Nexperia for one year, with a court order following one week later.
Under pressure from both public opinion and a reduction in chip supplies to European and US carmakers, as well as after coordination and talks between China, the EU, and the Netherlands, the Netherlands' Minister of Economic Affairs Vincent Karremans announced a suspension of his administrative order about Nexperia, but the court order is yet to be overturned.
On Jan 14, the Enterprise Chamber of the Amsterdam Court of Appeal held a public hearing to hear arguments on whether it should launch a formal investigation into alleged mismanagement at Nexperia, with a decision expected to be made within a few weeks. If Wingtech can get its rights protected, effects upon the global supply chain will be minimized and smooth supply resumed; but if not, the crisis might continue, which is a result that no one can benefit from.
Lai Suetyi, an associate professor and Jean Monnet chair at the Center for European Studies at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, said the European Union showed caution not to be further dragged into the China-US trade and technology war, and called for a resolution at the corporate level instead of stepping in to support the Netherlands government.
The Chinese side demands a revocation of the executive order and withdrawal of the court ruling to stabilize global supply chains. An imminent end to the saga would show a return to pragmatism for the Netherlands in its China policy, which would be very welcomed by China and the rest of the world.
文章来源：China Daily
发布日期：2026年2月4日
