On the occasion of this year’s Europe Day, 32 landmarks in 18 Chinese cities have lit up in the blue of the EU flag to honor the 2018 EU-China Tourism Year (ECTY). 

Hans Dietmar Schweisgut, the EU ambassador to China, attended the lighting ceremony in Wuhan City and stressed the wider importance of the EU-China Tourism Year as a joint initiative in the area of people-to-people exchange.

There has been a steady increase of visitors traveling in both directions, and a number of events throughout this year will be launched to stimulate awareness of lesser-known and developed destinations in Europe and China.

On last year’s Europe Day, Schweisgut spoke with CGTN about changes in EU-China relations over the past 40 years and highlighted the importance of a strong EU-China relationship. This time, the EU ambassador gave a comprehensive evaluation of the relationship from political and security cooperation, to collaboration in climate change and environment preservation, as well as frictions in trade and investment.

On the subject of trade protectionism and tensions between China and the US, the ambassador reiterated EU’s support for an open and rules-based international system and its stance against unilateral measures and protectionism, but suggested that there are areas China still have to open up.

When it comes to efforts promoting peace in the Korean Peninsula, Schweisgut expressed caution as to agreeing how much progress has been made in the de-nuclearization of the peninsula, but said now has come a historic opportunity.