What choices should a country make as humanity faces a historical transformation? For China, the answer lies in dismantling the pervasive zero-sum mindset and maintaining an unwavering commitment to win-win cooperation. China and Germany, despite their distinct ideologies and security interests, have the potential to shape a better future.

China’s connectivity project is being reconfigured across the old continent. Western and Eastern Europe are increasingly divided regarding the Belt and Road’s infrastructure projects and investments – yet, Europe as a whole is welcoming monetary connectivity with China and wider adoption of the renminbi.

China and Europe look forward to more stable relations. But transcending the European-style de-risking narrative will take some doing. As frictions arise, the strategic definitions and political wisdom of both sides will be tested.

The recent EU-China Summit marked a cautious step forward in their relationship, underlining a growing willingness to constructively engage. While substantive policy changes remain elusive, both sides acknowledged concerns and showed openness to dialogue, hinting at a potential path for future negotiations and trust-building.

A new framework is needed to accommodate their various interests as they deal with the ever-changing international situation and the challenges that crop up now and then. Relations have weathered storms over past decades mainly because the two sides share broad common interests.

The EU’s attempt to lead global infrastructure development has been costly, but still lags behind America and China’s investment programs. Europe needs to make significant changes to catch up to the world’s leading powers.

Recent high-level dialogue has set the stage for progress. Yet, the strategies employed by China and Europe show that a transformation of the international order is likely to be a prolonged process.

The global electric vehicle industry, dominated by China's rapid growth, has intensified competition, prompting the EU to investigate Chinese EVs and risking strained Sino-EU trade ties. The EU must balance climate aspirations and domestic interests while bolstering its EV industry for a sustainable and competitive future.

Europe’s dealings with China vary greatly from the level of the European Union down to each member’s policies, however explicit they may be. Germany’s role as a leader in Europe makes its own approach to China an important indicator of what the rest of the EU may do.

Italy’s Belt and Road engagement, which was led by the previous liberal administration, is coming to an end, but the inroads China has made in Italy means that creating distance can’t be done with the stroke of a pen.