China and the European Union should strengthen dialogue, manage their differences and expand cooperation in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence to ensure the stable development of their relationship over the next 50 years, Chinese Ambassador to the EU Cai Run said on Thursday.
Speaking at the 14th China-Europe Forum in Brussels, Cai said the two sides should remain committed to their partnership, resolve economic and trade disputes through consultation, and respect each other's core interests and major concerns.
"We are partners, not rivals, still less adversaries," Cai said. "China is not the source of the economic problems facing the EU, but a partner it can count on in addressing them."
The forum, themed "The Next 50 Years: Navigating Global Transitions in an AI World", was jointly organized by the Chinese Mission to the EU, Brussels-based think tank Friends of Europe and the China Public Diplomacy Association.
Cai said China-EU relations had maintained steady momentum despite challenges. According to Chinese statistics, bilateral trade reached $693.6 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 12.9 percent year-on-year, while two-way investment stock exceeded $290 billion.
He highlighted the progress achieved at the recent second meeting of the China-EU trade and investment consultation mechanism, where the two sides reached 16 deliverables and understandings covering trade and investment balance, export controls, intellectual property rights and World Trade Organization reform.
The two sides agreed to hold the third meeting in March next year.
"The agreement on these 16 deliverables and understandings fully demonstrates that both sides have the willingness, capability, and wisdom to resolve issues through dialogue and consultation," Cai said.
Turning to artificial intelligence, Cai said China and the EU possessed distinct strengths and should expand exchanges and cooperation to make AI a new growth area in bilateral relations while jointly advancing global AI governance.
Stefano Grassi, director for external relations at the European Commission's Secretariat-General, highlighted the deep economic ties between China and the EU, noting that China was the EU's third-largest trading partner while the EU is the first export destination for China.
Drawing on his experience during the eurozone debt crisis, Grassi said one of the most important lessons Europe had learned was that correcting economic imbalances required action from both surplus and deficit economies.
He stressed that China and the EU were highly integrated economically, and underscored the importance of jointly addressing economic challenges.
Wu Haitao, vice-president of the China Public Diplomacy Association, also emphasized the importance of dialogue in shaping the next 50 years of China-EU relations.
"Despite our differences, we are all willing to resolve them through dialogue and consultation. This is a very good starting point," Wu said, adding that "differences are inevitable, but how we resolve them matters greatly to both sides".
Against a backdrop of growing geopolitical uncertainty, Wu called on the two sides to play a constructive role in global affairs. "As two major constructive forces in the world, China and the EU should provide stability and certainty to a world marked by turbulence and change," he said.
Cai said China's commitment to high-quality development and high-standard opening-up would create new opportunities for European businesses and other international partners, expressing confidence that joint efforts would help usher in a brighter future for China-EU relations.
