Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has embarked on a critical six-day European tour, a high-stakes diplomatic mission aimed at rebuilding trust and stabilizing relations with the European Union. With stops in Brussels, Germany, and France, Beijing hopes to counter what it calls global geopolitical turmoil and a skewed perception of its intentions. This charm offensive, however, comes as Europe grows increasingly wary of China, particularly over accusations of espionage conducted through its advanced AI technologies like the DeepSeek chatbot.
The challenges facing Wang are twofold. He must first allay deep-seated political suspicions that Chinese companies operating within the EU are extensions of Beijing’s state authority. Secondly, he faces the difficult task of persuading European leaders on the economic front, addressing persistent accusations that China’s government provides domestic firms with unfair subsidies and market advantages, thereby distorting global competition.
Officially, Beijing is framing the visit as an opportunity to reinforce a 50-year partnership that has been mutually beneficial. Chinese state media emphasizes a shared interest in global stability and calls for consensus-building to resolve disputes. The tour’s agenda appears strategically tailored: talks in Brussels are expected to focus on finance and technology, discussions in Germany on industrial cooperation and the massive trade volume, and meetings in France on navigating global security hotspots and defining the respective roles of China and the EU on the world stage.
However, the diplomatic pleasantries are set against a backdrop of serious contention. The ongoing war in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East are unavoidable topics, with EU officials like European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen having previously accused China of supplying Russia with dual-use goods and technologies. The atmosphere is further chilled by Germany’s recent decision to block the DeepSeek AI application from app stores over data security and potential espionage concerns, a move Beijing has condemned as discriminatory and a barrier to technological cooperation.
The United States looms large over the proceedings, actively portraying China as its primary global competitor. A U.S. State Department official told Reuters that the DeepSeek app likely supports China’s military and intelligence apparatus. This places the EU in a precarious position, caught between China as a vital economic market and the United States as its principal security ally. While European leaders weigh the risks, analysts note that Washington has yet to publicly present concrete evidence for its spying allegations, leaving the EU to navigate a complex path between economic opportunity and mounting geopolitical pressure.