Europe China Forum 2026

The Europe-China Forum has been for years the platform to discuss the past, present and future of EU-China trade, cooperation and political relations. 

Fifty years after establishing diplomatic relations, Europe and China find themselves entering a very different world from the one in which their partnership began. Digital technologies are transforming economies and labour markets, artificial intelligence is reshaping innovation and industrial competitiveness, the energy transition is redefining global supply chains, and climate change is accelerating the need for cooperation. At the same time, geopolitical tensions and growing economic competition are testing long-standing assumptions about trade, investment and international cooperation. 

Against this backdrop, the issue is not only how Europe and China can manage their differences, but also how they build a relationship capable of navigating these transitions together over the next fifty years. 

The 2026 Europe-China Forum will examine how to guide the relationship through a period of profound transformation. As artificial intelligence, digital technologies and the green transition reshape economies, industries and societies, Europe and China face a shared challenge: finding the right balance between openness and resilience, innovation and regulation, competition and cooperation. The Forum will focus on how the two actors can build a relationship capable of managing those differences while working together on the opportunities and challenges that will define the next fifty years. 

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PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images | Sean Gallup