Title: Half a Century of Evolution: Strategic Challenges and Future Vision in China-EU Relations

Speaker: Professor Shen Wei

Time: December 30, 2025

Venue: C110, School of Management

Abstract: The year 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and the European Union. Over the past half-century, China-EU relations have undergone profound and complex evolution, progressing from tentative initial contacts to the current comprehensive strategic partnership. This edition of the Green Mountain Lecture Series will trace the key stages and driving forces behind the development of China-EU relations, analyzing patterns of interaction between the two sides in core areas such as economic and trade cooperation, global governance, and geopolitics. In light of recent frictions and fluctuations, it will explore how China-EU relations can strike a balance amid multiple roles—as partners, competitors, and systemic rivals. Looking ahead to future cooperation pathways, the lecture offers forward-looking insights into the trajectory of this vital bilateral relationship.

Profile: Shen Wei is a Qiushi Chair Professor at the School of Public Affairs, Zhejiang University, and a Jean Monnet Chair Professor of the European Union. Professor Shen holds a PhD in Human Geography from Loughborough University, an LLM from Stockholm University, and an Erasmus Master in Law and Economics and a Master in Urban Management from Erasmus University Rotterdam. Before joining Zhejiang University, he served as Associate Vice-President for International Relations at Deakin University in Australia, Director of the Confucius Institute and Professor at the Management School of Lancaster University, Professor and Associate Dean at ESSCA, and Visiting Professor at prestigious institutions such as Sciences Po and the University of Strasbourg.