The summit in Beijing was short in duration but profound in meaning — a true diplomatic confrontation.
The summit in Beijing was short in duration but profound in meaning — a true diplomatic confrontation.
By Orçun Göktürk, from Beijing / China
The recent China–EU summit held in Beijing was remarkable in many aspects — from its shortened duration to its content, from leaders’ statements to the diplomatic tone. Initially planned as a two-day event, the summit was reduced to one day at China’s request. This is not just a scheduling change but should be interpreted as a message from China to the EU. China no longer wants to waste time in prolonged negotiations and uncertain diplomatic atmospheres with the Western world. The signal is clear: either tangible results or strategic repositioning.
A Wave of Tension in Bilateral Relations
China–EU relations have been moving on unstable ground for some time. The EU sees China both as a major market and a strategic threat. This dual perspective is clearly visible in the EU’s recent foreign and security policy concept papers. China, on the other hand, perceives the EU as an actor that constantly questions China’s sovereign interests and has mortgaged its decision-making capacity to Washington’s strategic lines. The shortening of the summit demonstrates, in my opinion, China’s determination. Instead of projecting an image of “moderate dialogue,” China tested the grounds for how the relationship will take shape from now on with brief and direct messages. It did not want to play a drawn-out negotiation game but demanded a substantial strategic decision.
Moreover, the EU leadership once again brought up the now-classic rhetoric of “human rights violations” in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong. This rhetoric is a clear tool through which the West tries to impose its so-called values as universal norms. China, not unjustly, views this approach as interference in its internal affairs and a tool of geopolitical pressure. China’s response is clear: these matters are internal issues, and behind the human rights rhetoric lies a political agenda that supports separatism and seeks to destabilize China. The West tries to lecture China on democracy and freedom without reflecting on its own past. Yet China’s internal stability rests on a far more genuine societal consensus than the Western-style spectacle of “rights and freedoms.”
It must also be noted that, as many liberals in the West have stated, post-Trump China did not shift toward system-compatible policies to win over Europe. Even in the Alibaba-owned South China Morning Post, analyses argued that “the EU’s inconsistency toward China and its submission to the U.S. have rendered it irrelevant and weakened its influence with both powers.” This Hong Kong-based paper is considered the voice of China’s reformist and outward-looking circles. Inside China, there is a clear stance of strategic firmness toward the EU.
An Economic Turning Point
The EU is simultaneously demanding “market access” from China while launching what is effectively a trade war through tariffs, subsidy investigations, and other regulatory barriers targeting Chinese goods. Particularly in strategic sectors such as electric vehicles, green technology, and semiconductors, the EU’s restrictive measures are perceived by China as discriminatory. China interprets this contradictory approach not just as economic but as part of a broader geopolitical strategy. In response, China is not only retaliating but also accelerating its domestic market–driven development model under the “dual circulation” strategy. This is part of China’s long-term economic independence strategy.
The Code Behind the “Historic Turning Point” Rhetoric
At the summit, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the bilateral relationship was “at a clear turning point.” Chinese President Xi Jinping also described it as a “historic juncture.” These similar yet distinct statements summarize the two sides’ approaches. Von der Leyen implied that the relationship cannot continue in its current form, while Xi suggested that it will be reshaped in line with global power shifts. For China, this summit was not only about relations with the EU, but marked a threshold for redefining ties with the entire Western bloc. Beijing is carefully watching how far Brussels can drift from Washington’s line.
The EU’s only concrete gain from the summit was a limited rare earths agreement — and even that was only partially signed.
China Wants Trust, Not Words
One of the most striking aspects of the summit was that China came to the table with a sharper and more straightforward stance, moving away from its traditional “smiling diplomacy.” China is no longer circling around terms like “dialogue” and “mutual understanding.” The era of strategic patience is giving way to strategic clarity. China is sending this message to Europe: if you want cooperation, prove that you are a trustworthy partner. Words do not matter — actions do. The biggest obstacle to building trust is the EU’s request for economic cooperation while simultaneously supporting anti-China sanctions.
The China–EU summit in Beijing was short in duration but profound in meaning — a true diplomatic confrontation. There are still opportunities for cooperation, but such cooperation can only occur on the basis of equality and mutual respect. China wants to move forward with an EU that recognizes and respects China’s development model and political system — not one that constantly questions it. Brussels’s position, however, remains unclear. China may be patient, but it is no longer a player trying to buy time; it is now an actor seeking to define the spirit of the times.
Europe at a Crossroads
In fact, Europe is at a crossroads. It will either continue to follow Trump’s trade war legacy — and lose out itself — or it will seek equal political and trade relations with China. European leadership is blind to geopolitical realities. We saw this at the recent NATO summit as well: by increasing their dependency on the transatlantic alliance, European leaders have harmed the continent’s strategic autonomy.
The China–EU relationship is not merely about economics. A systemic conflict is at play. China argues that the global balance of power is shifting and that the unilateral system built by the West has collapsed. Xi Jinping’s statements reflect not only the China–EU dynamic but also a broader geopolitical transformation. Von der Leyen’s emphasis on a “turning point” is an implicit admission of this shift. The EU must now decide: either build its own strategic autonomy or remain a subordinate actor in the U.S.-led economic war against China. That is why this summit goes far beyond diplomatic niceties — it marks the threshold at which the sides must choose their camp.