Ambassador’s Fu Cong farewell speech: Let’s Join Hands in Building Bridges of Friendship and Cooperation between China and Europe

Speech by Ambassador Fu Cong at the Farewell Reception

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear Friends,

Good evening.

Thank you all for gracing my farewell reception. It is with a heavy heart that I begin my speech today. I still remember the day when I first arrived in Brussels on a wintry morning of December 2022. 

Looking back, I am proud to say that the past 15 months has been a rewarding experience and indeed a great honor to serve as the 15th Chinese Ambassador to the European Union.

As you have seen in the video, I have spared no effort in promoting the relationship between China and the EU, under the guidance of the direction jointly set by President Xi Jinping and EU leaders. 

I have been very fortunate to be personally involved in expanding the cooperation across different priority areas, with much success, despite many of the challenges and hurdles.

Now the time has come for me to say goodbye to Brussels. I cannot however, leave without expressing my profound gratitude for all the gracious support you have given to me, and to the friendship and cooperation between China and the European Union.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear Friends,

In a few days it will be the 10th anniversary of President Xi’s historic visit to EU Headquarters. And it was at the College of Europe in Bruges that President Xi proposed the idea of building bridges. He said that China hopes to work with European friends to build a bridge of peace and cooperation across the Eurasian continent. For that, we need to develop partnerships for peace, growth, reform and civilization, so that China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership will take on greater global significance.

10 years on, the world has changed dramatically. But the idea of building bridges is even more relevant, and China’s commitment to the comprehensive strategic partnership with the EU remains unchanged. 

I am very pleased to see that we have built many bridges of understanding and mutual trust, win-win cooperation and close exchanges. 

Let me begin with the political front. The relationship has shown a strong momentum of growth, since the resumption of exchanges and dialogues at all levels in 2023. This is evidenced by President Michel and President von der Leyen’s visits to China, which I am pleased to be part of, three times.

The highlight was the 24th China-EU Summit held last December, during which President Xi Jinping met with the two Presidents and important consensus was reached on promoting our cooperation. 

On the multilateral front, China and the EU work closely in communication and coordination within the United Nations, the World Trade Organization and the G20. We are making joint efforts in upholding multilateralism and improving global governance.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how much we have achieved in practical cooperation. Actually, the first event I attended after my arrival in Brussels was to meet friends from Chinese and European business communities. China is now a primary trading partner of the EU, with nearly 100 million dollars worth of goods being traded every hour between the two sides. 

The China-Europe Railway Express ran more than 17,000 cargo trips last year, carrying 1.9 million containers. This important rail link has greatly facilitated the trade flows between China and Europe, and countries along the route. 

The China-EU Geographical Indications agreement is another vivid example. By protecting Chinese and European agricultural and food names, the agreement benefits millions of people on both sides. 

We are also working together on emerging areas such as digital economy, green development, new energy and artificial intelligence, with robust dialogue mechanisms created and practical cooperation on the ground expanded.

I will not forget to mention another key pillar of our relationship, people-to-people ties. In that respect, I had many wonderful memories, from appreciating Chinese tea culture in the Chinese Cultural Center in Brussels, to discussing China-EU relations with scholars and journalists at the China-Europe Forum and on many other occasions. I also enjoyed my friendly and candid conversations with students and faculties on the campuses of several renowned universities in Belgium.

Our exchanges didn’t stop there. To further people-to-people contacts, China has recently offered visa-free entry for more than ten European countries. On Friday, a new round of China-EU High-level People-to-people Dialogue will take place in Beijing, which is bound to add new momentum to the enhancement of contacts between the people of both sides.

These examples speak to the strength of our relationship and the great potential for future growth. But I would be less than candid if I did not mention that there are also frictions and frustrations. 

Upon departure, please allow me to repeat this to my dear European friends. The tripartite description of China as a partner, a competitor and a systemic rival is inappropriate and does not correspond to reality. As my Foreign Minister Wang Yi recently put it, this characterization is like driving to a crossroads and finding the red, yellow and green lights all on at the same time. It can only cause confusion and distraction.

China has long proved to be a trustworthy partner with countries around the world. Economic security, on the other hand, will only be strengthened through more cooperation, not less. Protective trade policies or instruments such as the frequent use of anti-subsidy and anti-dumping measures, under the banner of de-risking will not advance the China-EU relationship. Neither will they benefit the long-term interests of EU. 

With our different history, culture, social system and stage of development, it is not surprising that we may sometimes disagree with each other on certain issues. The most important thing is to deal with our differences in a friendly and collaborative way. As two major powers, there is so much at stake in what we do or fail to do together.

President Xi Jinping talked about the idea of building bridges again early this year when meeting with visiting Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo. He said that facing the turbulent international situation, China and the EU need to build more bridges, for dialogue and cooperation, for peace and stability, and for openness and mutual benefit. 

China and the EU have come a long way in engagement. Next year will be the 50th anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relations. It is important for us to build on the relationship and maintain its positive momentum for more progress. 

Instead of erecting walls or digging holes or creating small yards, we need to build more roads and bridges. We need to redouble our collective efforts to bridge gaps and differences.

I am confident that so long as we respect each other and tackle the challenges together, the future of our comprehensive strategic partnership will be better and brighter.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear Friends,

Let me turn to China’s economic development. China is on the path towards modernization and we welcome other countries to profit from the opportunities in this process. 

Some of you may know China’s Two Sessions, which refers to the annual joint plenary sessions of China’s top political advisory and legislative bodies. The most important take-away from the just-concluded Two Sessions is China’s commitment to further expanding its openness at a higher level in pursuit of mutual benefits. 

Going forward, China will foster a new development paradigm, develop a world-class, market-oriented and law-based business environment. The market access will be further widened, and the door of China will be opened even wider to the world. 

Let me also emphasize that China’s economy will continue to grow in the long run with the deepening of the reform and the acceleration of industrial transformation and innovation. This will, in turn, drive global economy upward and offer more opportunities to our European partners. We believe by aligning our development strategies and promoting our complementarities, we will be able to achieve mutual benefits and common development.

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

Dear Friends,

The past 15 months has been an unforgettable journey. My time here will be an important asset of my life. This farewell is not the end, it cannot be the end of the memories and friendships we created with each other. 

I want to say thank you to every single person present tonight, for your support and your friendship.

I am grateful to my colleagues in the Chinese Mission who work hard every day to support my work. There is a lot to look back on with pride and a sense of accomplishment, and this was only possible with your support and dedication.

Last but not least, I would also like to thank my wife, Huang Jun, for her constant support and understanding, for her staying by my side and giving me strength and courage.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As I am about to begin my next adventure, I shall always be an advocate and a bridge for China-EU partnership and will watch this relationship with great interest no matter where I am.

Now, please allow me to propose a toast to the strength of China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, and to the lasting friendship between the people of China and the European Union. Cheers!

Thank you!