President Georges-Louis Bouchez led a Belgian official visit to China from April 7 to 13, invited by Chinese authorities, with high-level talks in Beijing and Shenzhen. In Beijing, Bouchez met Yin Li, a Politburo member of the Chinese Communist Party, along with Vice-Minister Long and Minister Ma Hui, to discuss Belgium-China economic ties, international stability, and 55 years of cooperation. He stressed balanced multilateralism and fair competition, calling for clear agreements on patents, investment protection, and reciprocal trade, and urged Brussels to reclaim influence alongside Beijing and Washington by leveraging Belgium’s energy and industrial strengths. In Shenzhen, Bouchez explored China’s digital and AI sectors, meeting Jiang Yuyang, vice-president of the Municipal People’s Congress, and visiting innovative firms such as BYD, Xiaomi, and Ubitech Robotics.
Chinese business leaders and officials highlighted deeper ties between youth talent and industry, while noting Belgium’s expertise in chemistry, biology, and computing. The objective was to foster concrete, balanced industrial cooperation rooted in a shared vision of progress and modernity. For MR’s president, the mission underscores a clear finding: Europe cannot simply endure; in the face of Asia’s dynamism, he calls for a reform of European economic policy, reduced administrative burdens, and lower business taxes. “Taxing is not a strategy,” he said, criticizing past decades and urging an industrial upturn. While maintaining dialogue with China and remaining realistic about its approach, Bouchez defends European sovereignty, Belgian interests, economic realism, and openness to the world, arguing that a balanced approach is essential to preserve prosperity and freedom.
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