Chinese President Xi Jinping attends a welcome ceremony jointly held by Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok and Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Budapest, Hungary.

Xi’s Europe visit ‘increases mutual trust, charts a course for future development’

(GlobalTimes) -- In summarsing the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to three European countries, the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday that the visit, taking place in Europe with a global vision, successfully strengthened China-France relations, further solidified China-Serbia relations, enhanced China-Hungary relations, and injected momentum to China-EU cooperation.
It was a journey to build on friendships, increase mutual trust, boost confidence, and chart a course for the future, which has concluded in great success, the Chinese top diplomat said.
Over the past few years, with the global uncertainties, growing challenges that Europe has been facing, and the twists and turns in China-EU relations, a high-level exchange is necessary to clarify matters, prevent further decline, and stabilize relations, while fostering future-oriented development, some experts said, noting that head-of-state diplomacy, as the highest level of diplomatic exchange, is crucial at this critical moment.
During the visit, China and France upheld the original spirit of establishing diplomatic ties, and will advance the bilateral relations by building on past achievements and pioneering new developments, Wang noted.
We will continue to sustain our ironclad friendship and embark on a new journey to build a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era, and will strengthen traditional ties and guide China-Hungary relations into a “golden voyage,” Wang said.
On China-EU relations, the two sides should shape correct perceptions and adhere to the positioning of partnership. On global issues, China will demonstrate the responsibility of a major power and contributing China’s solutions for world peace, the Chinese top diplomat noted.
This visit demonstrates China’s great emphasis on Europe and its special attention to these three countries - France, Serbia and Hungary, Sun Keqin, a research fellow at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times on Sunday.
The trip conveyed to Europe and the world China’s stance and attitude on China-EU relations, global peace and development, especially on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the Israel-Palestine conflict, Sun noted.
It also addressed major international issues, such as global governance, and clarified misunderstandings about China’s role in the Russia-Ukraine war and debunked the so-called overcapacity in China rhetoric, Sun said. “By positively stating its position, China has effectively countered anti-China forces in Europe and helped more Europeans understand China’s perspective on these issues, responded to malicious slander and attacks in some Western media.”
President Xi’s visit to the three European nations left many memorable diplomatic moments, the Xinhua News Agency said on Sunday. From talks at the Élysée Palace in Paris to chats at Tourmalet pass in the Pyrenees; from the welcoming crowds in a Serbia Square to the farewell ceremony at the Villa Peace in Belgrade; from the flowers at Budapest Airport to the welcoming ceremony at Buda Castle in Budapest … These vivid scenes and remarkable diplomatic stories from President Xi’s European visit are unforgettable, Xinhua said.
The New York Times said French President Emmanuel Macron “adds a personal touch to his diplomacy with China,” as he took Xi to his childhood haunts high, hoping to forge a bond. The AFP described the impressive scene in Belgrade where Xi and Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic “waved from a balcony to several thousand people.”
During the visit to Serbia, President Xi and Vucic agreed to build a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era, and Xi also announced a range of measures to support the building of China-Serbia community with a shared future.
Wang said this decision marks a breakthrough in Europe for the building of a community with a shared future, which will become a new milestone in the history of China-Serbia relations.
In all three European nations, from reception protocols to personal interactions between leaders, the warm hospitality showed the host countries’ high regard for President Xi’s visit and relations with China, Dong Yifan, a research fellow at the Institute of European Studies, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times on Sunday. 
“The reception was of the highest standard, underscoring the importance of this visit,” Dong said, noting that the visit holds significant diplomatic meaning for China, which reflects Europe’s prominent position in shaping global relations and the strategic importance of China-EU relations.
On Xi’s visit, Wang also noted that “First Lady diplomacy” was a highlight of this visit as Peng Liyuan’s charming diplomacy played a positive role in enhancing the foreign public’s goodwill toward China and boosting China’s soft power.
“First Lady diplomacy” has two key characteristics: a feminine touch and a focus on people-to-people and cultural exchanges, Song Luzheng, a Chinese scholar residing in France and a research fellow at the China Institute of Fudan University, told the Global Times on Sunday.
These aspects effectively complement the often overly formal and serious discussions between heads of state, emphasizing emotional connections and engagement in areas of consensus such as the humanities, language and culture, helping foster closer ties between people, Song said.

(Latest Update May 14, 2024)