The Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Friday that member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi will travel to Europe from June 30 to July 6, to attend the new round of China-EU High-level Strategic Dialogue as well as visit Germany and France for a series of dialogues. With unilateralism and protectionism on the rise, it is necessary for China and the EU to strengthen communication, safeguard multilateralism, and act firmly as anchors of stability and constructive forces in a volatile world, the ministry said. 

At the invitation of High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the EU Kaja Kallas, Federal Foreign Minister of Germany Johann Wadephul, and Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France Jean-Noël Barrot, from June 30 to July 6, Wang Yi will visit the EU headquarters and hold the 13th round of China-EU High-level Strategic Dialogue, visit Germany and hold the eighth round of China-Germany Strategic Dialogue on Diplomacy and Security, and visit France for talks with the French Foreign Minister and the meeting of the China-France high-level dialogue mechanism on people-to-people exchanges. 

While in Brussels, Wang Yi will meet and have talks with Belgium's Prime Minister Bart De Wever and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot respectively, per the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Elaborating on the expectations for this trip, ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at Friday's press briefing that this year marks the 50th anniversary of China-EU diplomatic ties. Bilateral relations face important opportunities of development. As unprecedented global changes unfold at a faster pace and unilateralism, protectionism and bullying practices are on the rise, it is necessary for China and the EU, two major forces, markets and civilizations in the world, to strengthen strategic communication, conduct coordination and cooperation, jointly keep the world peaceful and stable, safeguard multilateralism, free trade, international rules, fairness and justice, and act firmly as anchors of stability and constructive forces in a volatile world. 

Amid an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape, the EU is facing mounting internal divisions over its China policy, with intense debates and some voices taking a relatively negative tone, Cui Hongjian, director of the Department of European Studies, China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Friday.

By engaging with key EU member states such as Germany, France, and Belgium, this visit seeks to align positions with the partners whose stances will significantly shape the bloc's overall approach toward China, and lay solid groundwork for the upcoming China-EU leaders' interaction, Cui said.

Wang had a group meeting in Beijing with diplomatic envoys from the EU and its member states to China on Wednesday, where he put forward three suggestions for the future development of China-EU relations. 

The first is to uphold mutual respect, in particular, Wang expressed the hope that the EU will firmly uphold the one-China principle and oppose all forms of "Taiwan independence." Second, the two sides should stay committed to the positioning of their partnership and third, jointly uphold multilateralism. 

"The development of China-EU relations over the past 50 years has proved that China and the EU are partners, not rivals, still less enemies," Wang noted.

"Jilted, betrayed, dumped, or defiant. It's hard to describe the European Union after relentless attacks from its once-dependable ally, the United States," the AP reported on Thursday. The threat from Washington against Greenland, its sweeping tariff plans and courtship of Moscow have firmed up some European leaders' vows to reduce their reliance on America, the report titled "Reeling from Trump rebukes, Europe weighs deeper ties with China" said.

Recent shifts in US dynamics have introduced new variables into China-EU relations, Cui said. 
"With the US now bringing the most uncertainties to Europe, EU's desire to strengthen cooperation with China is growing - however, the situation remains complex. While some politicians insist Europe should prioritize ties with Washington, this stance doesn't reflect the continent's overall strategic needs. What may appear as hesitation could often be tactical positioning rather than policy shifts, Cui said. 

The EU-China economic ties are hefty: bilateral trade is estimated at 2.3 billion euros ($2.7 billion) per day. China is the EU's second largest trading partner in goods, and both believe it is in their interest to keep their trade ties stable for the sake of the global economy, and they share certain climate goals, AP reported.

Chinese official media on Sunday released footage documenting J-15 fighter jets taking off from an aircraft carrier at an undisclosed location in Western Pacific to expel foreign aircraft believed to be attempting mock attacks on the Chinese carrier group. A Chinese expert said the foreign aircraft's move posed safety risks, while the Chinese response was legitimate and professionally carried out.

While the Liaoning aircraft carrier group of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy was sailing in the Western Pacific, four foreign fighter jets were spotted closing in. The command room on the Liaoning assessed that they might be simulating an attack on the Chinese formation, China Central Television (CCTV) News reported on Sunday, without providing details such as the date of the incident or the country of origin of the foreign aircraft.

Although the Chinese aircraft carrier formation was sailing in a region under heavy rain and strong convection at the time, as the foreign fighter jets kept approaching, J-15 fighter jets on board the Liaoning, armed with live missiles, conducted emergency sorties. They reached the designated area, performed a series of tactical maneuvers, before successfully expelling the foreign aircraft, CCTV News reported.

Song Zhongping, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times on Sunday that the Chinese aircraft carrier has the right to take measures to protect itself, including intercepting close-in approaches by foreign military aircraft.

The footage showed the challenging weather conditions, which not only restricted visibility and added uncertainties to the performance of airborne equipment, but also significantly reduced the opportunity windows for landing.

Song said that aircraft carriers are built to be all-weather operable. The mission demonstrated that the PLA sailors and naval aviators on the Liaoning are well trained and have strong combat capabilities.

"For decades, they alone [foreign forces] operated over this region [Western Pacific]. Today, we can compete in the same field," said Ke Xuelong, a member of the PLA Navy's carrier-borne aviation force. Hou Haipeng, another member, added "No matter how strong the enemy is or how complex the situation is, we dare to draw our swords," according to the CCTV report.

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Asked to comment on a report by the Wall Street Journal claiming that the Chinese government has told CK Hutchison that the sale of global ports outside the Panama ports was unlikely to be an issue, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Monday that "we have taken notice of the relevant reports and of the fact that the State Administration for Market Regulation has expressed serious concerns about the transaction in question and will conduct a review in accordance with the law." 

All parties involved must not attempt to circumvent the review through any means and shall not proceed further before obtaining approval, or they will bear legal consequences, Guo said.

China has always firmly opposed any acts of economic coercion or bullying tactics that infringe upon the legitimate rights and interests of other nations. "We urge all relevant parties to act prudently and engage in full communication with Chinese authorities," he said, while adding that "China remains committed to reform and opening-up and welcomes foreign enterprises to invest in China."