In recent years, Chinese enterprises have accelerated their pace of going global in Europe, seeking more opportunities for market expansion, technology improvement, resource integration and brand innovation. However, China-Europe relations also face some structural and specific challenges, such as value conflicts, transatlantic alliance relations, anti-globalization trends, geopolitical competition and trade norms. How should Chinese enterprises cope with these challenges and maintain and develop China-Europe cooperation?

According to the data from the Ministry of Commerce, in 2022, China’s foreign direct investment in all industries reached 985.37 billion yuan, an increase of 5.2%. A report by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Research Institute showed that China’s foreign direct investment inflows and stocks ranked among the top three in the world for four consecutive years. Nearly 80% of Chinese enterprises are optimistic about the prospects of foreign investment and will maintain and expand their foreign investment.

Europe is one of the important destinations for Chinese enterprises to go global. According to the data from Eurostat, in 2022, China was the EU’s second largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching 586 billion euros. The two sides have a wide range of cooperation space in the fields of energy, environmental protection, digital economy, artificial intelligence and so on.

However, there are also some uncertainties and risks in China-Europe relations. On the one hand, the two sides have different concepts and practices on values, human rights, democracy and so on, which lead to friction and conflict on issues involving Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Taiwan and so on. On the other hand, the roles and interests of the two sides in international affairs have also changed and adjusted, resulting in competition and confrontation on some regional and issues.

In order to cope with these challenges, Chinese enterprises should adopt the following strategies:

·Fully recognize the position and importance of Europe in China’s foreign relations, and maintain a stable and developing China-Europe relationship.

·Respect the diversity and differences of Europe, try to avoid touching on sensitive topics, and seek common interests and cooperation points.

·Pay attention to the EU’s trade norms and policy changes, and timely adjust their own investment strategies and cooperation modes.

·Strengthen communication and exchange with various countries and regions in Europe, enhance mutual understanding and trust, and establish good cooperative partnerships.

Only in this way can Chinese enterprises seize the opportunities, resolve the risks, and achieve win-win results in the process of going global in Europe.