A succession of leaders have beaten a path to Beijing with pragmatic cooperation in mind, according to former ambassador Wu Ken
2-MIN READ2-MINAlyssa ChenPublished: 2:00pm, 7 Mar 2026China’s international clout and economic stability are rebalancing Beijing’s relations with Europe, putting more focus on cooperation and less on rivalry, according to a former Chinese envoy.
European leaders have made a flurry of visits to China in recent months as the United States has upended relations with its traditional allies with tariff threats and a push to acquire Greenland.
Since 2019, the European Union has defined its relationship with China through a “tripartite” strategy, seeing China as a cooperation partner, economic competitor and a systemic rival – all at the same time.
