This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union.

Over the past half-century, China-EU relations have withstood the tests of global changes and maintained a stable momentum of development.

This enduring partnership has strongly supported mutual progress and brought tangible benefits to nearly two billion people in China and Europe.

The prospects for pragmatic China-EU cooperation remain broad. As China advances toward high-quality development and actively boosts domestic demand, European businesses are finding ample space to expand in the Chinese market.

A large number of EU companies have invested in China, witnessing the country’s reform and opening-up as well as the development of Chinese modernisation, while also reaping substantial returns.

In the early 1980s, German automobile manufacturers were among the first to seize market opportunities by investing and building factories in China. Today, brands such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen derive over 30% of their global sales from the Chinese market, with profits in China reaching up to 30 times those earned in their domestic markets.

In sectors such as chemicals, optics, aerospace and aviation, European products account for more than 30% and in some cases over 50% of China’s total imports. In Europe, Chinese companies have leveraged their infrastructure strengths, utilising EU funds and complying with EU standards to deliver the 2,440-metre-long Pelješac Bridge in Croatia with high quality.

The Hungary-Serbia Railway, China’s first high-speed rail project in Europe, increased the local train speed from 50 km/h to 200 km/h, creating a fast track for improving the quality of life for local communities.

For more information, please consult the official website.