Top News

President Xi Jinping extends Chinese New Year greetings

Describing the ending Year of the Snake as extraordinary,  President Xi said that China met difficulties head-on and made new progress in the face of a complex and volatile environment at home and abroad, elevating China's economic strength, scientific and technological capabilities, national defense capabilities, and composite national strength to new heights.

China put forward the Global Governance Initiative, successfully hosted the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit and the Global Leaders' Meeting on Women. These efforts, he said, brought much-needed certainty and positive energy to a world fraught with changes and turmoil.

The year 2026 marks the 105th anniversary of the founding of the CPC and the launch of the 15th Five-Year Plan. President Xi called for advancing high-quality development, maintaining social harmony and stability, and consistently exercising full and rigorous Party self-governance, so as to strive for a sound start for the next five years.

In Chinese culture, the horse embodies vigor, strength and resilience, symbolizing steady progress and lasting prosperity. President Xi encouraged the Chinese people to maintain high morale and forge ahead on the new journey of Chinese modernization in the Year of the Horse.

China-Europe Engagements

Keynote Speech by Chinese FM Wang Yi at the 62nd Munich Security Conference Conversation with China

🔹Humanity has weathered wind and rain to come this far, pulling together should be the imperative choice. We should reform and improve global governance to set the ship of history on the right course.

🔹In reforming and improving global governance, 

• the priority is to revitalize the United Nations system；
• the key lies in the collaboration and cooperation of all countries；
• multilateralism should be always upheld；
• the pressing task is to stop conflict and promote peace.

🔹This year, China kicks off the implementation of its 15th Five-Year Plan for economic and social development. All our endeavors are aimed to secure a better life for the people. We aspire for a stable external environment for our development, and we also hope to make the world a better place through our development. China will be a staunch force for peace. We will commit to the path of peaceful development and call on all countries to do the same. China will be a reliable force for stability. We will uphold international fairness and justice, and explore a distinctly Chinese approach to resolving hotspot issues. China will be a progressive force in history. We will resolutely defend the outcomes of the progress of human civilization, advance the four major global initiatives, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

🔹Both China and Europe have time-honored civilizations and stand as indispensable poles in this multipolar world. The choices we make now are crucial to the future of the world. In the journey toward world multipolarity and economic globalization, China and Europe are partners, not rivals. So long as we keep that in mind, we will be able to make the right choices in the face of challenges, prevent the world from slipping into division, and keep moving human civilization forward. 

FM Wang Yi visited Hungary

On February 11, 2026, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán during his visit to Hungary. He also held talks with Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó and met the press together in Budapest. 

🔹The successful story of China-Hungary cooperation will have a demonstration effect on Europe and the world. China expects Hungary to play an active role in promoting the sound development of China-Europe relations.

China-France-Germany FM's meeting

On February 13, 2026, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a trilateral foreign ministers' meeting with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot in Munich.

🔹Wang Yi stated that five decades of China-EU exchanges and cooperation have proven that the two sides are partners rather than rivals. Interdependence is not a risk, the convergence of interests is not a threat, and openness and cooperation will not undermine security. China's development is an opportunity for Europe, and Europe's challenges do not come from China. 

🔹Wang Yi expressed the hope that Germany and France, as influential major countries in the EU, will proceed from their own interests and the overall interests of the EU to encourage the EU to foster an objective and comprehensive perception of China, pursue a rational and pragmatic policy toward China, and remain committed to the positioning of China-EU partnership. The two sides should respect each other's core interests and major concerns, properly handle differences and frictions, deepen practical cooperation, and stay united in addressing global challenges.

FM Wang Yi met with leaders and top diplomats of European countries on the sidelines of MSC

Weekly Quote

Confucius once said, "A gentleman seeks harmony but not uniformity." This means pursuing harmonious coexistence while acknowledging differences, a principle known as the way of a gentleman. China and Europe should both act in accordance with this principle. Particularly in the face of the current turbulent international situation, China and Europe should all the more join hands to practice multilateralism, uphold the authority of the United Nations, oppose unilateralism and bullying, and resist bloc confrontation.

China hopes that the two sides will work together to implement the four global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping and build a more just and equitable global governance system. This should be the direction of the joint efforts between China and Europe.

 — FM Wang Yi answered questions on China-EU relations during the Munich Security Conference

Mission Headlines

Ambassador Cai Run's Op-Ed: Galloping forward: advancing China-EU relations in the Year of the Horse

🔹In the new year, China will kick off the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development, and China–EU relations will embark on a new journey of cooperation for another 50 years. At this new starting point, China–EU relations embrace new opportunities.

• First, opportunities come from the stability and continuity of China’s policies. 
• Second, opportunities come from China’s high-standard opening up.
• Third, opportunities come from shared responsibilities between China and the EU. 

As the Year of the Horse approaches, I wish China–EU relations swift and steady progress, opening a new chapter defined by mutual respect, seeking common ground while shelving differences, and win-win cooperation, and moving forward with the momentum of ten thousand horses in full gallop.

Ambassador Cai Run's Op-Ed: A new starting point for China-EU relations

Standing at a new starting point of another 50 years of China-EU relations, China stands ready to work with the EU to actively follow through on the important consensus between our leaders and outcomes of their meetings, seize opportunities, address challenges, and advance the sound and steady development of China-EU relations.

• First, we need to uphold mutual respect and reinforce partnership. 
• Second, we need to deepen communication and exchanges and strengthen understanding and mutual trust.
• Third, we need to uphold openness and cooperation and properly handle differences and frictions. 
• Fourth, we need to practice multilateralism and improve global governance.

China Brief

🔹Starting from the 2026 Spring Festival, visitors from 50 countries, including 25 EU member states, enjoy visa-free access to China.

In the first four days of the Spring Festival holiday break, average daily sales at major retail and catering businesses rose 8.6 percent from the corresponding period a year earlier, according to data from the Ministry of Commerce. Traffic and revenue at 78 key shopping streets and districts in the first three days climbed 4.5 percent and 4.8 percent, respectively.

The spending wave blended tradition with new habits, with online platforms reporting brisk demand for smart devices. Sales of wearable gadgets on major platforms surged 19.7 percent year on year in the first three days of the holiday, with smart glasses more than doubling and smart blood glucose monitors up by nearly 50 percent.

Services spending added to the momentum. Domestic tourism consumption on major platforms rose 4.5 percent year on year in the first three days of the holiday, including a 26 percent jump in car-rental bookings.

🔹Humanoid robots and children performed martial arts together at this year's Spring Festival Gala. Click the link to watch.

🔹 People interact with lion dance performers at a Spring Festival temple fair in Beijing.

🔹 A firework show over Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong celebrating the Spring Festival

🔹 An intangible cultural heritage parade in Putian, Fujian Province

🔹 A ceremony in Kashi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region

🔹As “Becoming Chinese” trends on social media, global interest in the Chinese way of life continues to grow. From food and festive tradidtions to everyday habits, more people are exploring what it means to live in a Chinese way. Here are a few ideas to get started.

🔹As the Year of the Snake slithers away, the Year of the Horse gallops in. Wishing you strength, prosperity, and success in the Year of the Horse!

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the newsletter are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of China, except those from the official website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Chinese Mission to the EU and other Chinese governmental websites.

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                                                                                   Editor: Li Mo