Chinese President Xi Jinping attends a China-France-EU meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, May 6, 2024. /Xinhua
Editor's note: Yi Xin is a Beijing-based commentator on international affairs. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.
Chinese President Xi Jinping's recent trip to Europe aroused intense international interest. Beyond the sights and sounds, it is his message of amity and cooperation — echoed in the heart-to-heart conversations on the snowcapped Pyrenees mountains, the enthusiastic cheers in front of the Palace of Serbia, and folk dances in Budapest — that should make more leaders pause and think.
France, Serbia and Hungary, the three countries that hosted the Chinese leader, each has a distinct history and national character. But they all enjoy long-standing relations with China.
France was the first major Western country to enter into formal diplomatic ties with the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1964. At the height of the Cold War, this was not an easy or politically popular decision, but one that has unlocked significant force for good for the French and the Chinese and many others.
Chinese President Xi Jinping attends a welcome ceremony held by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic prior to their talks in Belgrade, Serbia, May 8, 2024. /Xinhua
Serbia and China forged a strong friendship during the bitter Anti-Fascist War and their respective nation-building in the last century. Their mutual support is getting stronger and cooperation closer. With China's involvement, Serbia's Smederevo steel plant has become one of the three biggest export companies in the country.
Hungary was also one of the first countries to recognize and build relations with the PRC. The two countries have a lot of trade, especially in equipment and high-tech. Chinese battery plants in Hungary augment the cluster effect for big European carmakers, reducing production costs and lowering prices for consumers.
Chinese President Xi Jinping holds talks with Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok at the Sandor Palace in Budapest, Hungary, May 9, 2024. /Xinhua
In all three countries, the Chinese leader carried a common message of friendship and partnership. In France, he committed to opening China even wider to the world and deepening cooperation with France and other countries. In Serbia, he said the two countries should always be good partners for win-win cooperation. In Hungary, he encouraged greater synergy in development strategies and new highlights in practical cooperation.
China and the EU are each other's second largest trading partner. Over the past 20 years, the China-EU trade volume has increased about nine times. In the first quarter of this year, the China-Europe freight trains carried 9 percent more goods than in the same period last year.
EU businesses are keen to invest in China and vice versa. France's Schneider Electric and Germany's BMW are as committed as ever to the China market. Over 90 percent of the European companies that participated in the Business Confidence Survey 2023 of the European Chamber of Commerce in China indicated plans to invest in China. The 2023 Annual Report of the China Chamber of Commerce to the EU showed more than 80 percent of the Chinese companies surveyed want to grow in Europe.
During the Chinese president's visit this time, dozens more trade agreements were concluded covering a wide spectrum of industries: machinery, communication electronics, smart manufacturing, AI and green development. Europeans appreciate the benefits of all this.
Countries can develop congenial, rewarding relations even when they differ in some respects. This is a central message from Xi's trip, and indeed from China's diplomacy over the years. But it is easier said than done. The surest way to get there, as China's relations with the three countries show, is for political leaders to stay attuned to the interests and voice of their people.
Our world today is confronted by geopolitical tensions and hard issues that defy easy solutions. It was deeply encouraging to hear the Chinese leader say that China is ready to join hands with others to address the uncertainties of the world, practice true multilateralism, keep the global economy open, and make economic globalization universally beneficial and inclusive. This should inspire more confidence in ordinary people and the business community.
President Xi has made a simple but powerful point in Europe: Instead of "divide and conquer," he called for amity and cooperation. It is worth serious consideration in many European capitals.
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