Building Trust: European Business Leader Highlights Unique China-EU Relations

The upcoming visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Europe marks a significant moment in the evolving relationship between the European Union (EU) and China. Jens Eskelund, president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, emphasizes the importance of this high-level engagement in fostering trust and addressing shared challenges.

“I think it’s excellent that the president is going to Europe,” Eskelund remarked. “We also just had the German Chancellor Scholz visiting here in China. It’s very important that we keep up momentum with these high-level bilateral meetings.”

Eskelund believes that trust is the cornerstone of the China-EU relationship. “One of the fundamental issues that we have now in the relationship is that we need to build trust,” he stated. “Trust is what will allow us to also have some of the difficult conversations that Europe and China need to have.”

Europe’s Autonomous Role

Addressing the influence of the United States on China-EU relations, Eskelund advocates for recognizing Europe as an autonomous actor. “If you are approaching your relationship with Europe through a U.S. filter, this will lead to missed opportunities,” he said. “We need to see the EU-China relationship as an EU-China relationship and focus on the unique aspects of it.”

Economic Collaboration and Opportunities

With China’s focus on developing “new quality productive forces,” Eskelund sees significant opportunities for European industry. “It’s a very obvious path for China to take, moving into higher value-added, more sophisticated manufacturing,” he observed. “European industry, in many areas, is exactly in that space. There ought to be many opportunities for Europe and China to work together on these industries and make progress.”

Confidence in the Chinese Market

Despite global economic uncertainties, European companies remain committed to the Chinese market. “Our members, 1,800 companies that are members of the EU Chamber, remain deeply committed to China,” Eskelund affirmed. “No one is running for the exit here. Many large companies for whom China is an existential market continue to invest here, some even doubling down.”

However, he highlighted concerns regarding small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). “The SMEs are the backbone of the European economy, and they need to be our focus,” he noted. “We need to work with SMEs so they have an interest in coming into China. Supply chain resilience, geopolitics, and predictability of the business environment will be important for these companies.”

As China and Europe navigate a complex global landscape, fostering trust and focusing on unique bilateral relations may pave the way for mutual growth and cooperation.

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