Working together in a changing world

Over the period of a generation, the world has changed beyond recognition. The categories of the Cold War, East and West, the Third World are gone; even the concepts of North and South are not clear anymore. We all live in one world now. People trade, travel and study across the borders more than ever before. On the flip side, we face challenges on a global scale as well, such as cyber-crime, climate change, terrorism and the proliferation of weapons. Interdependence is the political reality of today. Managing this interdependence is one of the great challenges of our young century.

The European Union and China are key players in addressing global challenges and at the forefront in trying to find solution through multilateral mechanisms, such as the G20 and the UN. The EU and China should be partners in adapting to the changing world. We can and we should do a lot more together.

I embark on my first official visit to China as President of the European Council. This visit underscores the strategic importance the EU attaches to our relationship and the political investment at its highest level. In the west of China I will visit Chengdu; in the north, Beijing, and more south, Shanghai: the different angles of contemporary China.