It is the winter season: The weather outside is either freezing cold or rainy and windy. Christmas is often said to be the best time to relax and read a book, and rightly so. Fabian Peltsch has sorted through the current books on China and, together with the China.Table team, presents the best new titles.
There is something for everyone: Tech fans will get their money’s worth with “Chip War”, spy lovers will enjoy “Spies and Lies”. But feel free to look beyond your interests – perhaps take a peek into the spiritual sphere with Kevin Chen’s Ghost Town.
The acclaimed novel was written by Taiwanese writer Kevin Chen. In today’s interview, Chen talked with Fabian Peltsch about his work as a writer in Taiwan and Germany and explains how China’s pressure on Taiwan impacts his work.
And finally, I would like to draw your attention to our op-ed today. It was written by Fu Cong, China’s new ambassador to the European Union. For almost a year, Beijing left this post in Brussels vacant. Now, Fu wants to give new impetus to EU-China relations. Fu explains in today’s Opinion how he plans to do this and why he is optimistic that he will succeed.
Whether it is machine learning, voice and facial recognition, or cloud computing, China wants to set the pace in key technologies of the century. Jonathan E. Hillman, Senior Advisor to the US Secretary of State’s Office of Policy Planning, examines Beijing’s strategies to become a global technology power.
Hillman focuses, for example, on the Chinese Beidou navigation system, which is already superior to the US GPS standard in the Asia-Pacific region. It is no secret that these and other technologies are also used for military purposes. But even without military intervention, China is already able to exert power beyond its borders through digital infrastructure development, especially in emerging markets where affordability still takes precedence over security concerns.
Hillman’s book analyzes the so-called technological Cold War primarily from a US perspective. He does not think much of defensive measures, like export controls or license revocations. Nor would unilateral action without Europe be effective, Hillman writes. His advice to the world’s great democracies: join forces, invest in neglected markets, and do not leave the developing countries to the Chinese. In global competition, low-cost alternatives cannot be offered by Huawei & Co. alone. fpe
Jonathan Hillman: The Digital Silk Road: China’s Quest to Wire the World and Win the Future, Harper Business, 386 pages, 19.99 euros, also available as an e-book.
Semiconductors are a geopolitical instrument: It is no coincidence that the Biden administration placed a series of restrictions on high-performance chip exports to China. And the EU wants to use its Chips Act to reduce dependence on the People’s Republic and Taiwan in particular. But how did this come about? What made the success of the microchip possible in the first place? Chris Miller provides the answers in his new book “Chip War – The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology”.
In his work, the economic historian retraces over 70 years of history since the invention of the transistor and the integrated circuit. Miller details the career of Morris Chang and the origins of chip giant TSMC, and devotes the last part of the book to China’s attempt to enter the top league of chip technology. “Chip War” is smoothly written and easy to read. Since Miller is a historian, not an engineer, he refrains from going into technical detail. The book’s narrative is largely chronological and provides an informative overview of the industry. ari
Chris Miller: Chip War – The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology, Scribner, 464 pages, 29.99 euros (hardcover), also available in paperback.
The New York Times calls the second novel by Berlin-based Taiwanese writer Kevin Chen “as chaotic as life itself.” And not just the living, but also the dead are involved when Chen blends the life stories of his protagonist Keith with those of his six sisters and his deceased parents in 44 short chapters. “Ghost Town” delves deep into the belief in ghosts in Taiwan’s hinterland, but also shows the mundane hardships just before the end of the military dictatorship in the late 1980s.
As a stigmatized homosexual man, the main character Keith flees to Berlin, where Nazis cross his path and the ghosts of the past refuse to let go. Chen even visited Berlin prisons for his book. Apart from that, however, the book is closer to the fantastic realism of Gabriel García Márquez than to the laconic intensity of contemporary writers like Hanya Yanagihara. fpe
Kevin Chen: Ghost Town, Europa Editions, 384 pages, 27.00 US dollars (hardcover), also available as a paperback.
Politics and science currently deal with China’s influence on Western societies. Yet the area of concrete intelligence operations to influence the perception of China often goes unnoticed. Australian analyst Alex Joske fills this gap with his new book “Spies and Lies”. He traces the means by which the Ministry of State Security (Guoanbu, 国家安全部) repeatedly gained access to figures in Western countries. These then spread the narrative of “peaceful development” which the rest of the world would have nothing to fear from.
In Joske’s depiction, this is the long-term preparation for global domination, which was only made possible with the aid of blue-eyed Western countries. To prove this, he collected an enormous wealth of well-documented sources.
Germany is hardly mentioned in the Australian’s book. However, those who read it also see the stance of German elites toward China differently. But the question remains how much is the result of deliberate disinformation by Chinese actors or how much was simply due to the mindset of a society that witnessed the end of socialism in its own country. The fact is that, especially during the Hu Jintao era, Chinese academics, diplomats, and other officials diligently spread the narrative of “peaceful rise”. Here, too, it could be argued that some of them may have believed this themselves.
There certainly were deliberate operations by the Guoanbu to lull the West into a sense of security. The book probably somewhat exaggerates their actual impact compared to the actions of the CCP’s United Front, the daily influence of academics, business partners and personal contacts, and the West’s own wishful thinking. However, when keeping China’s new claim to power in mind, it makes for an incredibly exciting read, especially since it features a number of authentic espionage stories. The warnings not to approach China contacts too naively are certainly in order. fin
Alex Joske: Spies and Lies, Hardie Grant Books, 268 pages, 24.04 euros.
Like Keith Chen, the main character in your novel “Ghost Town,” you moved from the Taiwanese city of Yongjing to Berlin. How biographical is the story?
The book is loosely based on my family history. Like Keith, I grew up in a loud and chaotic environment. He has five sisters. I have seven and one brother. Why so many? My parents really wanted sons, so they kept trying. Carrying on the family name was even more important in Taiwan’s patriarchal system of the eighties than it is today. But in a way, as a homosexual boy, I was also the eighth unwanted daughter.
In the West, Taiwan is considered as Asia’s prime example for same-sex marriage and homosexual rights. In “Ghost Town”, however, homosexual Keith is bullied and tortured to the extreme.
The development of an open Taiwan is still quite new. In our country, martial law ruled for a long time. My teachers explained that all gay men had AIDS and would burn in hell. It was enough to have long hair to be taken away because that was considered unmanly. It was terror. The openness you speak of applies mostly to Taipei today. In rural areas, you are still partly vulnerable if you are different. But my book also deals with the situation of women in this patriarchal system. They, too, had to adapt to this world. For many young Taiwanese today, this is unimaginable.
Taiwan is currently very much in the geopolitical spotlight. Would you also describe yourself as a political writer?
As a Taiwanese writer, it is almost impossible to not be political. We are a politicized society because of the threat posed by China. My book is about fear and about terror, so it is also a reflection of this life situation. China has spread fear and intimidation for decades. In 2027, the People’s Liberation Army celebrates its 100th anniversary. Emperor Xi wants to take back the missing part of his kingdom by then, so the theory goes. I fear for my family. Fortunately, we have the Taiwan Strait, a rough stretch of water. This will make it harder for China to invade, as it was for Russia in Ukraine, for example.
Has the increased political attention also had an impact on the perception of Taiwanese literature?
Many publishers who were not interested in my book before are now knocking on my door. This is especially true in the United States, but so far not in Germany. On the German book market, there are virtually no writers from Taiwan apart from small niche publishers. In the last ten years, only about five Taiwanese bestsellers have been translated into German. And they have barely sold at all. But at least more people know Taiwan here today. On previous reading trips, some could not even tell Taiwan and Thailand apart.
The book is partly set in Germany. You have been living in Berlin since 2004. What fascinates you about the German capital?
At first it was a coincidence: A friend gave me a CD by a group called Rosenstolz. I loved the mood and the singer’s voice. I looked up where the band was from. And that’s how I ended up in Berlin, at first just for a stay, that was in 1998. I went to a play at the Volksbuehne not long after I arrived. The people on stage were naked and screaming at each other. I instantly fell in love with this city. The art community is fantastic. You can be whoever you want. In my first year in Germany, a man just stripped naked in the subway on a hot day. Nobody paid him any attention. And even better, his dog was wearing a T-shirt. For writers, things like that are great.
In your novel, Germany is described as a cold, but also liberating place. What is the impression of Germany the Taiwanese people have today?
Many Taiwanese love Germany. They believe everything that is “Made in Germany” is good. They think Germans are effective, precise. When my sisters visited Germany, they were surprised that the train was three hours late, the toilets were broken, and they couldn’t reserve their seats after a train breakdown. But Germany is my second home. It is where I live and where I write. And the distance from Taiwan helps, too.
What major differences did you notice?
For example, my book is about the boundaries between the spiritual world and the human world. In Taiwan, we celebrate Qingming, the festival of the dead. We believe that the gates of hell are wide open during this time. There are so many taboos during these days, rules about what you can and can’t do. The spirits are everywhere in Taiwan. They are in the trees and the rivers. Ghost stories are everywhere. You don’t have that here in Germany. But Germany is a place where the past haunts the living.
You also worked in Germany as a translator and even as an actor. What were your experiences?
Among other things, I played a Chinese businessman in the film “Global Player” by Hannes Stoehr. I was on “Verstehen Sie Spaß?” and in an episode of “Jerks” with Christian Ulmen and Fahri Yardim, where I played a Tibetan monk. I studied theater and always wanted to give a career as an actor a try. But as an Asian in Germany, you mainly get cliché-laden roles without emotional depth. I went to auditions where they wanted to put a Vietnamese peasant hat on me. I was supposed to speak with an “Asian” accent. One time they even wanted me to do a backflip, and were surprised that as an Asian I didn’t have such martial arts skills. From an artistic point of view, none of this was really satisfying.
Kevin Chen 陳思宏 was born in 1976 in Yongjing, Taiwan. He wrote several books and essays, one of which can be found in a Taiwanese fifth-grade textbook. He has lived in Berlin since 2004, where he also worked as a translator and actor, among other things. “Ghost Town” is his first novel to be translated into English. The New York Times recommended the book in its Watch List for Fall 2022.
On the early morning of 10 December, I stepped off the Hainan Airlines flight and set foot in Brussels in the brisk midwinter. I am no stranger to this city. During previous visits to EU headquarters on matters related to arms control and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, I had the chance to know many EU colleagues and established good working relations with them. I was told that it is by advocating diversity, inclusion, dialogue and compromise that the EU has witnessed the steady development of European integration. I sincerely hope that these principles can find their expression in my future work.
Despite the cold weather in Europe, I am still excited about beginning my new role as the 15th Chinese ambassador to the EU, a bloc of the most advanced economies and a pioneer in regional integration. Representing China and its interests, my mission here is to act as a bridge that enhances understanding and mutual trust and facilitates practical cooperation between China and the EU, including its member states. Three things have given me confidence in fulfilling my responsibilities.
First, China stays committed to the path of peaceful development. A clear and important message from the recent 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China is the continuity and stability of China’s internal and external policies. Internally, China will follow the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, put people front and center, and deepen reform and opening up. Externally, China will continue to uphold world peace and promote common development, and work with other countries in building a global community with a shared future.
A China marching toward modernization will bring more opportunities to the EU and the wider world. Looking into the future, the fundamentals sustaining China’s prosperity and steady growth remain unchanged. Our determination to pursue high-standard opening up remains unchanged, and so is the bright prospect of the China-EU relationship.
Second, there is high-level political support for an enhanced China-EU relationship. Early this month, I had the honor to attend in Beijing President Xi Jinping’s meeting with President Charles Michel where the two leaders reached agreement on a wide range of issues. President Xi expressed the hope that the EU could become an important partner in China’s pursuit of modernization and profit from the opportunities presented by China’s huge market and its efforts to advance institutional opening up and deepen international cooperation.
The meeting between the two leaders sent a positive signal of enhancing mutual trust, building consensus and deepening cooperation, thus setting a clear direction for the future of China-EU relations.
Third, there are strong underlying forces that will drive China-EU relations in a positive direction. China and the EU are the world’s two major forces, markets and civilizations. In face of the complex and turbulent international situation, the two sides should and could work hand in hand in bringing stability back to the world. The decades-long relationship shows that China and the EU are partners rather than rivals.
Despite our apparent differences, the two sides share extensive common interests and can accomplish many great things together. In this connection, upholding the comprehensive strategic partnership following the principle of mutual benefit, managing differences through dialogue and embracing multilateralism serve the interests of both China and the EU as well as the broader global community.
The moment I got off the plane, I saw the sun rising on the horizon. As people often say in China, confidence is more precious than gold. I’m ready to translate my confidence into real action and join EU colleagues in implementing the agreements reached between the two leaders to ensure the steady and sustained development of China-EU relations. The Chinese Mission to the EU and I look forward to reaching out to EU partners and interlocutors from all sectors with an open heart and open arms. We hope to increase communication, expand practical cooperation and build a bridge of friendship and cooperation between China and the EU.
Fu Cong became China’s new ambassador to the European Union in mid-December. The 57-year-old is an experienced diplomat. He most recently served as Director-General of the Arms Control Department at the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Day trip: Penguins from the Harbin Polar Park waddle through the Ice & Snow World – even with their own backpacks. The birds obviously have plenty to marvel at in the theme park in the northeastern Chinese province of Heilongjiang.
It is the winter season: The weather outside is either freezing cold or rainy and windy. Christmas is often said to be the best time to relax and read a book, and rightly so. Fabian Peltsch has sorted through the current books on China and, together with the China.Table team, presents the best new titles.
There is something for everyone: Tech fans will get their money’s worth with “Chip War”, spy lovers will enjoy “Spies and Lies”. But feel free to look beyond your interests – perhaps take a peek into the spiritual sphere with Kevin Chen’s Ghost Town.
The acclaimed novel was written by Taiwanese writer Kevin Chen. In today’s interview, Chen talked with Fabian Peltsch about his work as a writer in Taiwan and Germany and explains how China’s pressure on Taiwan impacts his work.
And finally, I would like to draw your attention to our op-ed today. It was written by Fu Cong, China’s new ambassador to the European Union. For almost a year, Beijing left this post in Brussels vacant. Now, Fu wants to give new impetus to EU-China relations. Fu explains in today’s Opinion how he plans to do this and why he is optimistic that he will succeed.
Whether it is machine learning, voice and facial recognition, or cloud computing, China wants to set the pace in key technologies of the century. Jonathan E. Hillman, Senior Advisor to the US Secretary of State’s Office of Policy Planning, examines Beijing’s strategies to become a global technology power.
Hillman focuses, for example, on the Chinese Beidou navigation system, which is already superior to the US GPS standard in the Asia-Pacific region. It is no secret that these and other technologies are also used for military purposes. But even without military intervention, China is already able to exert power beyond its borders through digital infrastructure development, especially in emerging markets where affordability still takes precedence over security concerns.
Hillman’s book analyzes the so-called technological Cold War primarily from a US perspective. He does not think much of defensive measures, like export controls or license revocations. Nor would unilateral action without Europe be effective, Hillman writes. His advice to the world’s great democracies: join forces, invest in neglected markets, and do not leave the developing countries to the Chinese. In global competition, low-cost alternatives cannot be offered by Huawei & Co. alone. fpe
Jonathan Hillman: The Digital Silk Road: China’s Quest to Wire the World and Win the Future, Harper Business, 386 pages, 19.99 euros, also available as an e-book.
Semiconductors are a geopolitical instrument: It is no coincidence that the Biden administration placed a series of restrictions on high-performance chip exports to China. And the EU wants to use its Chips Act to reduce dependence on the People’s Republic and Taiwan in particular. But how did this come about? What made the success of the microchip possible in the first place? Chris Miller provides the answers in his new book “Chip War – The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology”.
In his work, the economic historian retraces over 70 years of history since the invention of the transistor and the integrated circuit. Miller details the career of Morris Chang and the origins of chip giant TSMC, and devotes the last part of the book to China’s attempt to enter the top league of chip technology. “Chip War” is smoothly written and easy to read. Since Miller is a historian, not an engineer, he refrains from going into technical detail. The book’s narrative is largely chronological and provides an informative overview of the industry. ari
Chris Miller: Chip War – The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology, Scribner, 464 pages, 29.99 euros (hardcover), also available in paperback.
The New York Times calls the second novel by Berlin-based Taiwanese writer Kevin Chen “as chaotic as life itself.” And not just the living, but also the dead are involved when Chen blends the life stories of his protagonist Keith with those of his six sisters and his deceased parents in 44 short chapters. “Ghost Town” delves deep into the belief in ghosts in Taiwan’s hinterland, but also shows the mundane hardships just before the end of the military dictatorship in the late 1980s.
As a stigmatized homosexual man, the main character Keith flees to Berlin, where Nazis cross his path and the ghosts of the past refuse to let go. Chen even visited Berlin prisons for his book. Apart from that, however, the book is closer to the fantastic realism of Gabriel García Márquez than to the laconic intensity of contemporary writers like Hanya Yanagihara. fpe
Kevin Chen: Ghost Town, Europa Editions, 384 pages, 27.00 US dollars (hardcover), also available as a paperback.
Politics and science currently deal with China’s influence on Western societies. Yet the area of concrete intelligence operations to influence the perception of China often goes unnoticed. Australian analyst Alex Joske fills this gap with his new book “Spies and Lies”. He traces the means by which the Ministry of State Security (Guoanbu, 国家安全部) repeatedly gained access to figures in Western countries. These then spread the narrative of “peaceful development” which the rest of the world would have nothing to fear from.
In Joske’s depiction, this is the long-term preparation for global domination, which was only made possible with the aid of blue-eyed Western countries. To prove this, he collected an enormous wealth of well-documented sources.
Germany is hardly mentioned in the Australian’s book. However, those who read it also see the stance of German elites toward China differently. But the question remains how much is the result of deliberate disinformation by Chinese actors or how much was simply due to the mindset of a society that witnessed the end of socialism in its own country. The fact is that, especially during the Hu Jintao era, Chinese academics, diplomats, and other officials diligently spread the narrative of “peaceful rise”. Here, too, it could be argued that some of them may have believed this themselves.
There certainly were deliberate operations by the Guoanbu to lull the West into a sense of security. The book probably somewhat exaggerates their actual impact compared to the actions of the CCP’s United Front, the daily influence of academics, business partners and personal contacts, and the West’s own wishful thinking. However, when keeping China’s new claim to power in mind, it makes for an incredibly exciting read, especially since it features a number of authentic espionage stories. The warnings not to approach China contacts too naively are certainly in order. fin
Alex Joske: Spies and Lies, Hardie Grant Books, 268 pages, 24.04 euros.
Like Keith Chen, the main character in your novel “Ghost Town,” you moved from the Taiwanese city of Yongjing to Berlin. How biographical is the story?
The book is loosely based on my family history. Like Keith, I grew up in a loud and chaotic environment. He has five sisters. I have seven and one brother. Why so many? My parents really wanted sons, so they kept trying. Carrying on the family name was even more important in Taiwan’s patriarchal system of the eighties than it is today. But in a way, as a homosexual boy, I was also the eighth unwanted daughter.
In the West, Taiwan is considered as Asia’s prime example for same-sex marriage and homosexual rights. In “Ghost Town”, however, homosexual Keith is bullied and tortured to the extreme.
The development of an open Taiwan is still quite new. In our country, martial law ruled for a long time. My teachers explained that all gay men had AIDS and would burn in hell. It was enough to have long hair to be taken away because that was considered unmanly. It was terror. The openness you speak of applies mostly to Taipei today. In rural areas, you are still partly vulnerable if you are different. But my book also deals with the situation of women in this patriarchal system. They, too, had to adapt to this world. For many young Taiwanese today, this is unimaginable.
Taiwan is currently very much in the geopolitical spotlight. Would you also describe yourself as a political writer?
As a Taiwanese writer, it is almost impossible to not be political. We are a politicized society because of the threat posed by China. My book is about fear and about terror, so it is also a reflection of this life situation. China has spread fear and intimidation for decades. In 2027, the People’s Liberation Army celebrates its 100th anniversary. Emperor Xi wants to take back the missing part of his kingdom by then, so the theory goes. I fear for my family. Fortunately, we have the Taiwan Strait, a rough stretch of water. This will make it harder for China to invade, as it was for Russia in Ukraine, for example.
Has the increased political attention also had an impact on the perception of Taiwanese literature?
Many publishers who were not interested in my book before are now knocking on my door. This is especially true in the United States, but so far not in Germany. On the German book market, there are virtually no writers from Taiwan apart from small niche publishers. In the last ten years, only about five Taiwanese bestsellers have been translated into German. And they have barely sold at all. But at least more people know Taiwan here today. On previous reading trips, some could not even tell Taiwan and Thailand apart.
The book is partly set in Germany. You have been living in Berlin since 2004. What fascinates you about the German capital?
At first it was a coincidence: A friend gave me a CD by a group called Rosenstolz. I loved the mood and the singer’s voice. I looked up where the band was from. And that’s how I ended up in Berlin, at first just for a stay, that was in 1998. I went to a play at the Volksbuehne not long after I arrived. The people on stage were naked and screaming at each other. I instantly fell in love with this city. The art community is fantastic. You can be whoever you want. In my first year in Germany, a man just stripped naked in the subway on a hot day. Nobody paid him any attention. And even better, his dog was wearing a T-shirt. For writers, things like that are great.
In your novel, Germany is described as a cold, but also liberating place. What is the impression of Germany the Taiwanese people have today?
Many Taiwanese love Germany. They believe everything that is “Made in Germany” is good. They think Germans are effective, precise. When my sisters visited Germany, they were surprised that the train was three hours late, the toilets were broken, and they couldn’t reserve their seats after a train breakdown. But Germany is my second home. It is where I live and where I write. And the distance from Taiwan helps, too.
What major differences did you notice?
For example, my book is about the boundaries between the spiritual world and the human world. In Taiwan, we celebrate Qingming, the festival of the dead. We believe that the gates of hell are wide open during this time. There are so many taboos during these days, rules about what you can and can’t do. The spirits are everywhere in Taiwan. They are in the trees and the rivers. Ghost stories are everywhere. You don’t have that here in Germany. But Germany is a place where the past haunts the living.
You also worked in Germany as a translator and even as an actor. What were your experiences?
Among other things, I played a Chinese businessman in the film “Global Player” by Hannes Stoehr. I was on “Verstehen Sie Spaß?” and in an episode of “Jerks” with Christian Ulmen and Fahri Yardim, where I played a Tibetan monk. I studied theater and always wanted to give a career as an actor a try. But as an Asian in Germany, you mainly get cliché-laden roles without emotional depth. I went to auditions where they wanted to put a Vietnamese peasant hat on me. I was supposed to speak with an “Asian” accent. One time they even wanted me to do a backflip, and were surprised that as an Asian I didn’t have such martial arts skills. From an artistic point of view, none of this was really satisfying.
Kevin Chen 陳思宏 was born in 1976 in Yongjing, Taiwan. He wrote several books and essays, one of which can be found in a Taiwanese fifth-grade textbook. He has lived in Berlin since 2004, where he also worked as a translator and actor, among other things. “Ghost Town” is his first novel to be translated into English. The New York Times recommended the book in its Watch List for Fall 2022.
On the early morning of 10 December, I stepped off the Hainan Airlines flight and set foot in Brussels in the brisk midwinter. I am no stranger to this city. During previous visits to EU headquarters on matters related to arms control and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, I had the chance to know many EU colleagues and established good working relations with them. I was told that it is by advocating diversity, inclusion, dialogue and compromise that the EU has witnessed the steady development of European integration. I sincerely hope that these principles can find their expression in my future work.
Despite the cold weather in Europe, I am still excited about beginning my new role as the 15th Chinese ambassador to the EU, a bloc of the most advanced economies and a pioneer in regional integration. Representing China and its interests, my mission here is to act as a bridge that enhances understanding and mutual trust and facilitates practical cooperation between China and the EU, including its member states. Three things have given me confidence in fulfilling my responsibilities.
First, China stays committed to the path of peaceful development. A clear and important message from the recent 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China is the continuity and stability of China’s internal and external policies. Internally, China will follow the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, put people front and center, and deepen reform and opening up. Externally, China will continue to uphold world peace and promote common development, and work with other countries in building a global community with a shared future.
A China marching toward modernization will bring more opportunities to the EU and the wider world. Looking into the future, the fundamentals sustaining China’s prosperity and steady growth remain unchanged. Our determination to pursue high-standard opening up remains unchanged, and so is the bright prospect of the China-EU relationship.
Second, there is high-level political support for an enhanced China-EU relationship. Early this month, I had the honor to attend in Beijing President Xi Jinping’s meeting with President Charles Michel where the two leaders reached agreement on a wide range of issues. President Xi expressed the hope that the EU could become an important partner in China’s pursuit of modernization and profit from the opportunities presented by China’s huge market and its efforts to advance institutional opening up and deepen international cooperation.
The meeting between the two leaders sent a positive signal of enhancing mutual trust, building consensus and deepening cooperation, thus setting a clear direction for the future of China-EU relations.
Third, there are strong underlying forces that will drive China-EU relations in a positive direction. China and the EU are the world’s two major forces, markets and civilizations. In face of the complex and turbulent international situation, the two sides should and could work hand in hand in bringing stability back to the world. The decades-long relationship shows that China and the EU are partners rather than rivals.
Despite our apparent differences, the two sides share extensive common interests and can accomplish many great things together. In this connection, upholding the comprehensive strategic partnership following the principle of mutual benefit, managing differences through dialogue and embracing multilateralism serve the interests of both China and the EU as well as the broader global community.
The moment I got off the plane, I saw the sun rising on the horizon. As people often say in China, confidence is more precious than gold. I’m ready to translate my confidence into real action and join EU colleagues in implementing the agreements reached between the two leaders to ensure the steady and sustained development of China-EU relations. The Chinese Mission to the EU and I look forward to reaching out to EU partners and interlocutors from all sectors with an open heart and open arms. We hope to increase communication, expand practical cooperation and build a bridge of friendship and cooperation between China and the EU.
Fu Cong became China’s new ambassador to the European Union in mid-December. The 57-year-old is an experienced diplomat. He most recently served as Director-General of the Arms Control Department at the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Day trip: Penguins from the Harbin Polar Park waddle through the Ice & Snow World – even with their own backpacks. The birds obviously have plenty to marvel at in the theme park in the northeastern Chinese province of Heilongjiang.
