On May 6, 2025, Vice President Han Zheng attended and addressed the reception commemorating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union (EU) in Beijing.

Han Zheng said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the EU 50 years ago, exchange and dialogue between the two sides have become increasingly close, the integration of interests has deepened, and the scale and level of cooperation have been greatly improved, which has helped each other succeed and benefited the world. As President Xi Jinping noted, there is no clash of fundamental interests or geopolitical conflicts between China and the EU; both sides are partners that can contribute to each other's success. Amid the current turbulent international situation, the relationship between China and the EU is of increasing strategic significance and global influence. Both sides should take the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations as an opportunity to stay true to their original aspiration of establishing diplomatic relations, accurately navigate the trend of the times, uphold the partnership, adhere to mutual respect, openness, cooperation, mutual benefit and win-win results, and work for the improvement and growth of China-EU relations. The two sides should join hands to safeguard multilateralism and the international system with the United Nations at its core, the international order based on international law, and the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core, jointly open up the next 50 years of China-EU relations that are more promising, and make greater contributions to world peace, stability, development and prosperity.

Before the reception, Han Zheng met separately with former President of the European Council Charles Michel and representatives of the EU diplomatic envoys to China. Han Zheng positively evaluated the 50-year development of China-EU relations, saying that the recent full resumption of exchanges between the legislatures of China and the EU has provided new impetus for the development of China-EU relations. As two major stable and constructive forces in the world, China and the EU, in the face of the complex and volatile international situation, should shoulder their due responsibilities, enhance dialogue, deepen cooperation, properly handle economic and trade differences, and work together to safeguard multilateral trade rules and order.

The EU side said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations 50 years ago, both the EU and China have achieved tremendous development, and the EU-China relationship has become one of the closest in the world. Both sides should review and summarize the experience and inspirations from the 50-year development of EU-China relations, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, lay a solid foundation for further development of EU-China relations over the next 50 years, and inject stability and certainty into the world.