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Video: Ambassador Toledo's New Year Greetings
Dear Chinese Friends,
With this, I wish to extend my best wishes to everyone on the occasion of the Chinese New Year – the year of the Snake.
The Snake traditionally symbolises transformation, which might be the dominant feature of 2025, but it also represents wisdom, creativity and calmness – which will be needed to navigate anticipated uncertainties.
The year 2025 is a special year for the EU and China. Together, we will mark the 50th anniversary of our bilateral relations. In these five decades, China has developed at an unprecedented speed, and the European Union has both enlarged and integrated. These changes and the geopolitical shifts, have affected our relationship.
The 50th anniversary presents an opportunity to have a frank dialogue about the overall state of our relationship. But, more importantly, to make real progress in addressing issues that have been built over the years, rebalance the relationship and lay solid foundations for the future.
As you know, the EU perceives China as a partner, competitor and systemic rival. By adopting different approaches in different policy areas, the EU seeks to ensure that relations with China as our strategic partner are set on a fair, balanced and mutually beneficial course.
Friends,
It is essential that we continue partnering with China and maintain a positive, constructive dialogue to address global challenges, including the fight against climate change, protection of biodiversity and the environment.
With China’s rapid development, we believe Beijing is in a position to uphold its responsibilities and step up its contributions to global climate, biodiversity and environment funds. This is the logical complement to China’s impressive development as a global player.
It is essential that we build trust and a healthy relationship. If we aim at achieving common economic and social progress, it is key that our economic bilateral relationship is balanced, reciprocal and based on fair competition.
The EU...
EU Ambassador Jorge Toledo’s address on the launch of the 8th EU-China Literary Festival (2023)
Dear authors, teachers, readers, students,
Dear Chinese friends,
I am pleased to announce the opening of the 8th EU-China Literary Festival. In collaboration with EU Member States, the festival invites European and Chinese authors to exchange their views on trends of contemporary literature in the European Union and China. Through a series of dialogues between authors and literary saloons, the festival will open a door to a rich diversity of literary expressions and new ideas. Our reading corners in partnership with renowned bookstores in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and Guangzhou will provide encounters with a wide range of books coming from all corners of the European Union.
Dear Chinese friends,
In 2005, UNESCO members adopted the Convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions. As a party of this convention, the EU is committed to promoting the freedom and diversity of cultural expression as part of its international cultural relations. This is not different in our relations with China. We remain committed to promote intense people-to-people relations between Europe and China. I am confident that this festival is a step forward in that direction. I invite you to participate and enjoy.
Ambassador Toledo's New Year Wishes
As the Rabbit takes over from the Tiger, it gives me great pleasure to extend to everyone my best wishes for the New Year.
This is both a time of celebration, but also of reflection. 2022 has been a year full with global challenges. In Europe, we have also faced particularly serious challenges which have tested our resilience. But determination, unity, and political will have helped us overcome the difficulties.
Last year we unfortunately saw the return of war in Europe with the Russian aggression against Ukraine in breach of the principle of territorial integrity and the most basic tenets of the UN Charter. The EU acted, and continues to so, in unison and solidarity to help Ukraine and to deal with the global fallout of the war.
After three difficult years, we all welcome normal life gradually coming back to China allowing the resumption of regular domestic activities, international mobility and, with it soon hopefully, long awaited people to people exchanges.
A very demanding year lies ahead. The EU is prepared to give its full commitment to carry forward Europe’s global responsibilities, support the dual transition to green and digital development and continue to promote innovative and sustainable development through the Global Gateway Initiative.
As the world recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, the EU and China, as two of the three top world economies, shoulder a great responsibility to lead in global recovery efforts. There is potential for us to conduct meaningful cooperation in areas such food security, health, energy, climate change and biodiversity. While we have our differences, we should continue to strive for meaningful dialogue, respect our joint international obligations and act towards the benefit of global community and contribute to peace and prosperity.
I know that in Chinese culture, the Rabbit is associated with peace and longevity. May the Year of the Rabbit bring lasting peace in Europe and stability and prosperity to every corner of...
