Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi used the sidelines of the 2026 Munich Security Conference (MSC) on Feb. 13 to meet a slate of European leaders, underscoring what Shanghai‑based scholars describe as an “inseparable” China‑Europe partnership.
In addition to Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, Wang held talks with Austria’s foreign minister Beate Meinl‑Reisinger, Britain’s foreign secretary Yvette Cooper, Germany’s foreign minister Johann Wadephul and France’s foreign minister Jean‑Noël Barrot. The itinerary, released by China’s foreign ministry, reflects a concerted effort to engage senior officials from across the continent whereas the MSC grappled with “intense turbulence” in the global order.
Expert view: a “close and inseparable” relationship
Gao Jian, director of the Center for British Studies at Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times that the flurry of high‑level meetings “highlighted the close and inseparable nature of China‑Europe ties, reflecting the deep interconnection between the two sides at a time of global uncertainty.”
Serbia‑China cooperation in focus
During his talk with Vučić, Wang – also a member of the Communist Party of China’s Political Bureau – reiterated China’s readiness to “maintain close high‑level exchanges, consolidate political mutual trust and firmly support each other in safeguarding respective core interests.” He singled out practical projects such as the smooth operation of the Hungary‑Serbia railway and the full exploitation of the China‑Serbia Free Trade Agreement. The remarks were echoed in Xinhua reports, which noted Vučić’s pledge to elevate cooperation in politics, trade, technology and culture while reaffirming Serbia’s commitment to the one‑China principle and support for Chinese reunification ambitions.
Broader European dialogue
In Paris, Wang urged Barrot to “jointly safeguard the status and role of the UN and prevent the world from reverting to the law of the jungle.” With Wadephul, he promised to “enrich the comprehensive strategic partnership” and advance cooperation across multiple fields. Meetings with the Austrian, British and French ministers also touched on the Ukraine conflict; Wang reiterated China’s unchanged stance of promoting peace talks and contributing to a sustainable post‑war European security architecture, a point highlighted by Ding Chun, director of the Center for European Studies at Fudan University.
Wang Yiwei, a Chinese expert attending the MSC, told the Global Times that China “made full use of the platform to conduct numerous bilateral meetings,” describing the schedule as “highly meaningful.”
MSC backdrop and thematic framing
The 2026 MSC opened with a theme labeled “destruction,” a motif reported by Euractiv that featured an animated elephant urging participants to confront the “elephant in the room” of “wrecking‑ball politics.” The conference’s atmosphere of uncertainty provided a stark contrast to the diplomatic optimism displayed in Wang’s European itinerary.
Implications for China‑Europe relations
Gao added that recent intensive visits by European leaders to China signal a “pragmatic, results‑oriented and forward‑looking new path” for bilateral ties. The series of meetings at MSC suggests that, despite geopolitical strains, both sides are seeking concrete avenues—railway logistics, trade accords, and coordinated diplomatic stances—to deepen their partnership.
China’s foreign ministry has indicated that follow‑up dialogues will continue throughout the year, with further high‑level exchanges planned between Beijing and key European capitals. Stakeholders in logistics, trade, and security are advised to monitor official statements from the ministries of foreign affairs in both regions for upcoming schedules.
Readers are encouraged to share their thoughts on how these diplomatic engagements might shape the next phase of China‑Europe cooperation.
