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Brussels, June 20th, 2024 On Wednesday, June 19th, the Europe-Asia Center co-hosted, in collaboration with the Xinhua News Agency, the first edition of the China-Europe Think Tank Forum in Brussels. The opening speeches were held by H.E. Ambassador Jean de Ruyt, Co-Chair of the Europe-Asia Center, and H.E. Fu Hua, President of the Xinhua News Agency and chairman of the academic committee of the Xinhua Institute. In his address, H.E. de Ruyt provided insights into the historical and geopolitical context of contemporary EU-China relations. Reflecting on China's remarkable development in recent years, the Ambassador noted that during his tenure at the UN, Belgium contributed more to the UN budget than China. He recalled the prescient prediction by then-Chinese Ambassador Wang Yingfan that China would likely become a leading global power within two decades—a forecast initially met with skepticism. In closing, H.E. de Ruyt underscored the imperative for Europe and China to collaborate in tackling global challenges while cautioning against the risks of economic de-coupling. H.E. Fu Hua elaborated on President Xi's concept of "new quality productive forces," highlighting its foundation in astute observations of global technological and economic trends. He emphasized that this concept enhances understanding of productivity development laws, while expressing optimism that advancing new quality productive forces will facilitate the equitable sharing of development benefits between China and the global community, fostering worldwide peace, and prosperity. H.E. Fabrizio Hochschild, former Undersecretary-General of the United Nations, emphasized that China's development of new quality productive forces is crucial not only for its economic growth but also for spearheading a new era of scientific and technological revolution, particularly through advancements in artificial intelligence. H.E. Madame Violeta Bulc, Vice-Chair of the Europe-Asia Center and former EU Commissioner for Transport, noted that the partnership between Europe and China was a beacon of hope, demonstrating that through collaboration, innovation, and inclusivity, the two civilisations can build trust, joint engagement, and a sustainable, prosperous, and just future for all. Professor Wei Shen, Vice-Chair of the Europe-Asia Center, provided a high quality summary of the event, and underlined the importance of Europe-China academic exchanges. Other esteemed speakers have included H.E. Istvan Ujhelyi, Member of the European Parliament; Mr. Francois Serneels, Quality and Environment Manager of the Center for Agronomy and Agro-industry in Hainaut; Vincent de Saedeleer, Vice-Chairman of the Belgian-Chinese Economic and Commercial Council; and Ms. Shada Islam, Visiting Professor at the College of Europe. The forum was widely regarded as highly successful, fostering constructive discussions and strengthening cooperation between China and Europe on critical issues. For Matic Gajsek, Director for Europe at the Europe-Asia Center, the event marked a perfect Auftakt to the China-Europe Think Tank Forum Series: "Outstanding speakers, an ideal location in the heart of European democracy, and optimistic voices for EU-China relations—this is exactly what Europe, China, and the world need more of." For press enquiries: Jonathan Schwestka, Project Coordinator, Europe – Asia Center E-mail: jonathan.schwestka@europe-asia.org

Brussels, June 18th, 2024 On Monday, June 17th, the Europe-Asia Center had the honor of engaging in a high-level dialogue with Xinhua Institute, one of China's premier think tanks, to mark the upcoming launch of their report on the theoretical and practical contributions of new quality productive forces. Following a presentation by the Xinhua Institute, its President Liu Gang outlined the key takeaways from the report titled "Empower China, Benefit the World: An Analysis of the Theoretical Contribution and Value Orientation of New Quality Productive Forces." The Europe-Asia Center was represented by its Co-Chair, H.E. Erik Solheim. During the meeting, participants discussed the challenges and opportunities for enhancing EU-Asia political and academic relations, expressing concerns about growing geopolitical tensions and emphasizing the need for intensified efforts in promoting dialogue and mutual understanding. Mr. Solheim also critiqued the concept of over-capacity, arguing that it is a precondition for trade. Notably, he highlighted that companies like Apple and German car manufacturers would not have achieved their current success had they produced exclusively for their home markets. At the conclusion of the meeting, Mr. Solheim received a beautiful silk tapestry depicting the ancient Chinese capital of Kaifeng, symbolizing the rich cultural heritage and long-standing history of Chinese civilization. Jonathan Schwestka, Project Coordinator at the Europe-Asia Center, remarked, "In an era marked by unprecedented global challenges, strengthening collaboration between East and West, particularly between China and Europe, is not just beneficial but essential. Partnerships between institutions like the Xinhua Institute and the Europe-Asia Center are the keystones to fostering innovative solutions and mutual growth, bridging gaps, and building a more interconnected and resilient world." For press enquiries: Jonathan Schwestka, Project Coordinator, Europe – Asia Center E-mail: jonathan.schwestka@europe-asia.org

Brussels, June 20th, 2024 On Wednesday, June 19th, a distinguished delegation from the Europe-Asia Center had the honor of visiting H.E. Andri Hadi , Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Indonesia to Belgium . The delegation was led by Vice-Chairs H.E. Madame Violeta Bulc and Professor Wei Shen , and included Secretary-General Yan Rui , Director for Europe Matic Gajsek , and Project Coordinator Jonathan Schwestka . Following a warm welcome from the Ambassador, Madame Bulc provided an overview of her engagements with Indonesia during her tenure as EU Transport Commissioner. She also highlighted Indonesia's significant advancements in recent years, particularly in the areas of green transition and digitalization. Similarly, Professor Wei Shen shared his longstanding commitment to fostering academic exchanges with Indonesian institutions and expressed strong support for enhanced collaboration between think tanks in Europe and Indonesia, while Mr. Gajsek outlined potential avenues for collaboration. Ambassador Hadi highlighted the positive role of the Europe-Asia Center in bridging the Europe-Asian divide, emphasized the importance of strengthening EU-Indonesia relations and enhancing mutual understanding, and expressed support for greater cooperation between the Europe-Asia Center and Indonesia. At the conclusion of the meeting, Mr. Gajsek , Director for Europe, underscored the significance of the dialogue, stating, “I’d like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Ambassador Hadi for his hospitality and his innovative and inspiring ideas for fostering Europe-Indonesia relations. The Europe-Asia Center stands ready to work closely with Indonesia to bridge divides and facilitate even closer collaboration between our regions.” For press enquiries: Jonathan Schwestka , Project Coordinator, Europe – Asia Center E-mail: jonathan.schwestka@europe-asia.org

Brussels, June 19th, 2024 On Tuesday, June 18th, the Europe-Asia Center , represented by Vice-Chair Violeta Bulc , former EU Commissioner for Transport, and Director for Europe Matic Gajsek , had the honor of visiting H.E. Baimukhan Margulan , Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Kingdom of Belgium, and Head of the Mission of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The meeting commenced with a warm welcome from the Ambassador Margulan , setting the stage for a fruitful discussion on current Europe-Kazakhstan relations. Both sides expressed their views on a range of critical issues and identified key areas for enhanced collaboration. Topics included the EU-Mongolia collaboration on critical rare earth materials, the green transition, and the environment. Mme Bulc highlighted Kazakhstan’s advancements and its pivotal role in fostering sustainable development and green energy initiatives. She emphasized the importance of cooperation in achieving mutual goals and creating innovative solutions to global challenges. Mr. Gajsek presented potential avenues for future collaboration, underscoring the Europe-Asia Center's commitment to working closely with Kazakh partners to strengthen bilateral ties. Ambassador Margulan reciprocated by expressing strong support for greater cooperation and mutual understanding between Europe and Kazakhstan. Following the discussion, the Ambassador invited the Europe-Asia Center delegation to visit the embassy’s authentic yurt. This unique experience evoked the vast, open landscapes of Central Asia and sparked the guests' interest in exploring the cultural richness of Kazakhstan. Reflecting on the meeting, Mr. Gajsek remarked with enthusiasm, “I am truly grateful to Ambassador Margulan for his insightful perspectives and proactive stance on institutional cooperation. His warm hospitality and the immersive experience in the yurt left a lasting impression. We eagerly anticipate deepening our collaboration and forging stronger bonds with Kazakhstan.” For press enquiries: Jonathan Schwestka , Project Coordinator, Europe – Asia Center E-mail: jonathan.schwestka@europe-asia.org

Brussels, June 18th, 2024 On Monday, June 17th, a distinguished delegation from the Europe-Asia Center, led by Vice-Chair Violeta Bulc, former EU Commissioner for Transport, along with Director for Europe Matic Gajsek and Project Coordinator Jonathan Schwestka, had the honor of meeting H.E. Luvsanvandan Bold, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Mongolia to the Kingdom of Belgium and the European Union. During a productive and wide-ranging discussion, both parties exchanged views on current EU-Mongolia relations and voiced strong support for enhanced collaboration on several key issues, including critical rare earth materials, women empowerment, and the development of sustainable villages and rural areas. Ambassador Bold also expressed enthusiasm for Madame Bulc’s possible participation in the World Women's Forum in Ulaanbaatar, a gesture that was warmly received by Madame Bulc. The meeting was followed by a special presentation of an exhibition celebrating the 35th anniversary of EU-Mongolia diplomatic relations, featuring photographs documenting significant milestones in their bilateral ties. In a truly memorable conclusion to the visit, Ambassador Bold invited the Europe-Asia Center delegation to enjoy a traditional Mongolian throat-singing performance inside an authentic yurt. Reflecting on the visit, Matic Gajsek, Director for Europe, stated, “I am deeply grateful to Ambassador Bold not only for his valuable insights and proactive stance on institutional cooperation but also for his exceptional hospitality in arranging this unforgettable performance by Mongolian musicians. I eagerly anticipate our future collaborations.” For press enquiries: Jonathan Schwestka, Project Coordinator, Europe – Asia Center E-mail: jonathan.schwestka@europe-asia.org

Brussels, June 18th, 2024 On Monday, June 17th, a high-level delegation from the Europe-Asia Center, led by Co-Chairs H.E. Erik Solheim and H.E. Jean de Ruyt, welcomed a delegation from the Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization (GEIDCO), headed by Secretary-General Wu Xian, in Brussels. Commencing with opening speeches from Secretary-General Wu, Co-Chair Solheim, and Co-Chair de Ruyt, the meeting progressed with GEIDCO providing a detailed summary of its initiatives and goals. Following this, Professor Wei Shen, Vice-Chair of the Europe-Asia Center, elaborated on the Center's activities. The subsequent dialogue was insightful, leading to an agreement to strengthen collaboration in several key areas, including capacity building and the joint hosting of events aimed at promoting the renewable energy transition. Vice-Chair Professor Wei Shen remarked, “The renewable energy transition is not just an environmental imperative but a monumental challenge that requires global cooperation. GEIDCO stands as a pivotal force in this field, and our collaboration has the potential to create powerful synergies. Together, I am hopeful that we can contribute to turning the tide towards a sustainable future and making significant strides in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.” For press enquiries: Jonathan Schwestka, Project Coordinator, Europe – Asia Center E-mail: jonathan.schwestka@europe-asia.org

East meets West Expert Series An Expert Roundtable organised by the Europe-Asia Centre, Brussels August 2021 The last European Council raised “strategic autonomy”1 to the level of a central concept for a new phase of the European project. Building European strategic autonomy on a horizontal – cross-policy basis is expected to – strengthen EU multilateral action, reduce dependence on external actors, and make the EU less vulnerable in areas such as energy, disinformation digital technology. Especially, the new frontiers of global governance needs to be increased, and which must be fully understood in all its implications. This is the case of internet or cyberspace governance, as a new dimension of reality, is being massively amplified and transformed by the combined effect of the Internet of Things that connects trillions of objects and services to artificial intelligence. Until now, this is an area of growing a geostrategic competition and governance for cyberspace is still inconsistent and fragile, there is a huge potential for building European ‘strategic autonomy’ and ‘approach’ which can play a key role in improving the algorithms of governance at all levels build a truly multilateral way of governing internet. Participating high-level guests Ambassador (ret.) Piet Steel, Chairman of Europe-Asia Centre, Belgium H.E. Violeta Bulc, European Commissioner for Transport and Mobility (2014 – 2019), Deputy Prime-Minister of Slovenia Participating experts Ms Mireia Paulo, Lecturer and Research Associate, Faculty of East Asian Studies, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany Mr André Loesekrug-Pietr, Chairman, Joint European Disruptive Initiative (JEDI), France Dr Miguel Otero-Iglesias, Professor of Practice at IE School of Global and Public Affairs and Senior Analyst at Elcano Royal Institute, Spain Roundtable moderator Mr Matic Gajsek, Deputy Director, Europe – Asia Center, Belgium Bottom of the page link to the webinar:

Human Rights at the Heart of the European Integration and UN Sustainable Development Goals East meets West Expert Series An Expert Conversation organised by the Europe-Asia Centre, Brussels October 2021 In 2012, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the EU on the grounds that the organisation had advanced peace in Europe. When awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to the EU, the Norwegian Nobel Committee said its decision was based on the stabilising role the EU has played in transforming most of Europe from a continent of war to a continent of peace. The EU’s most important achievement, according to the committee, has been “the successful struggle for peace and reconciliation and for democracy and human rights. Human rights are also at the heart of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as in the absence of human dignity we cannot hope to drive sustainable development. Human Rights are driven by progress on all SDGs, and the SDGs are driven by advancements on human rights. The COVID-19 has even more highlighted the need for a more human-rights centric approach on the global scale. The crisis caused by the pandemic has been fuelled by deepening poverty, rising inequalities, structural and entrenched discrimination, and other gaps in human rights protection. Only measures to close these gaps and advance human rights can ensure we fully recover and build back a thriving world that is better, more resilient, just, and sustainable. End discrimination of any kind: Structural discrimination and racism have fuelled the COVID-19 crisis. Equality and non-discrimination are core requirements for a post-COVID world. Participating expert H. E. Ivan Bizjak, Former Director General of Justice and Home Affairs, Council of the European Union, Slovenia Conversation moderator Mr Matic Gajsek, Deputy Director, Europe – Asia Center, Belgium

East meets West Expert Series An Expert Roundtable organised by the Europe-Asia Centre, Brussels (December 2021) Sports diplomacy is a new term that describes an old practice: the unique power of sport to bring people, nations, and communities closer together via a shared love of physical pursuits. Though sport diplomacy is not new, the power of sport has never been more important for our current century. On 20 July 2021, the International Olympic Committee approved a change in the Olympic motto that recognises the unifying power of sport and the importance of solidarity. The change adds the word “together” after an en dash to “Faster, Higher, Stronger”. The new Olympic motto now reads: “Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together”. The change of the motto also reflects the longstanding three values of Olympism – excellence, friendship and respect. In less than 100 days, Beijing is set to become the first city in the world to have hosted both the summer and winter editions of the Olympic Games. With a vision of “Joyful Rendezvous upon Pure Ice and Snow,” Beijing 2022 will celebrate again the Olympic Movement and builds its activities to promote sport, culture and education with a view to building a better world. Participating high-level guests Ambassador (ret.) Piet Steel, Chairman of Europe-Asia Centre, Belgium Mrs Tina Maze, Olympic Champion with 2 Gold and 2 Silver Medals and 4 World Championship tittles in Alpine Skiing (Slovenia) Mr Peter Kavzer, Olympic Silver champion and World and European Champion in Slalom Canoeing (Slovenia) Mr Tim Mastnak, Olympian and Silver Medalist in World Champions in Snowboarding (Slovenia) Mr David Evangelista, President & Managing Director for Europe / Eurasia, Special Olympics (USA / Spain) Roundtable moderator Mr Matic Gajsek, Deputy Director, Europe – Asia Center, Belgium URL link to the Webinar video: https://youtu.be/931I9x33h4E

East meets West Expert Series An Expert Roundtable organised by the Europe-Asia Centre, Brussels – August 2022 The Digital Markets Act (DMA) presents another legislative step of the European block towards strengthening the European’s “strategic autonomy”. With the rise and integration of digital platforms into almost every dimension of European life, Europe recognized the need to regulate not only the benefits of digital transformation, but also of disadvantages and risks such as the negative influence on fundamental rights, state of democracies, societies and economies at large. At the core of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) remains the issue of tackling competition rules, which have previously fallen short in regulating the business practices of tech giants such as Google, Amazon or Meta. The political signal sent has been clear and as stated by the leading MEP working on the DMA, Andreas Schwab (EPP, Germany): “The DMA will rule out these practices, sending a strong signal to consumers and business in the single market: rules are set by the co-legislators, not private companies”. With many industry and regulatory stakeholders supporting the idea of some form of regulatory dialogue, there is a mutual consensus on benefits for both users and gatekeepers. Despite the political will in both the Council and European Parliament, there remains the need for dialogue towards making the final text implementable – with both obligations for gatekeepers and their accountability, and perhaps of even higher importance, developing the understanding on effect DMA will have on digital platforms, businesses or private users. Participating high-level guests Ambassador (ret.) Piet Steel, Chairman of Europe-Asia Centre, Belgium H.E. Dr. Andreas Schwab, Member of the European Parliament (EPP Group) and lead on the Digital Markets Act, Germany H.E. Mark Boris Adrijanic, Minister for Digital transformation (2020 – 2022), Slovenia Participating experts Dr. Sebastian Hallensleben, Chair of CEN-CENELEC JTC 21, expert advisory board of EU StandICT and co-chair of OECD ONE.AI group, Germany Dr. Miguel Otero-Iglesias, Professor of Practice at IE School of Global and Public Affairs and Senior Analyst at Elcano Royal Institute Spain Roundtable moderator Mr Matic Gajsek, Deputy Director, Europe – Asia Center, Belgium Bottom of the page link to the webinar:

East meets West Expert Series An Expert Roundtable organised by the Europe-Asia Centre, Brussels – October 2022 The Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the Digital Services Act (DSA) marked a substantial legislative step of the European Union towards strengthening the European’s “strategic autonomy”, central concept expected to also strengthen EU’s multilateral action reduce external dependence and reduce vulnerabilities such as the disinformation across digital information. The ongoing geopolitical tensions and consequential pause in the negotiations of a Comprehensive trade agreement (CTA) between EU and China, do hamper the progress of a structured dialogue in the area of Internet governance covered by the DMA and DSA. Regulations currently targeting business practices of the U.S. tech giants such as Google, Amazon or Meta, do create a legitimate concern for European policy makers on the future of the EU digital markets, as Chinese digital technology firms could be left alone to grow. The question arises on what opportunities and future challenges DMA and DSA can bring to the EU-China dialogue. Participating high-level guests Ambassador (ret.) Piet Steel, Chairman of Europe-Asia Centre (Belgium) H.E. Dr. Andreas Schwab, Member of the European Parliament (EPP Group) and lead on the Digital Markets Act (Germany) Dr. Henry Huiyao Wang, President and Founder of China Center for Globalization (China) Participating experts Dr. Sebastian Hallensleben, Chair of CEN-CENELEC JTC 21, expert advisory board of EU StandICT and co-chair of OECD ONE.AI group (Germany) Ms Mireia Paulo, Head of Management of the Centre for EU-Asia Connectivity (CEAC) and Lecturer/Research Associate at Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Senior Consultant at the Shanghai A&Z Law Firm (Germany / Spain) Maria Adele Carrai, Assistant Professor of Global China Studies at NYU Shanghai (China) Roundtable moderator Mr Matic Gajsek, Deputy Director, Europe – Asia Center (Belgium) Bottom of the page link to the webinar:

Brussels, June 10th, 2024 On Friday, 7th of June, the Europe-Asia Center was honored to meet representatives of the East Asia & Pacific chapter of the European Business Organization Worldwide Network (EBOWN) on the occasion of their yearly regional meeting in Brussels. After an insightful introduction on contemporary EU-Asia relations by Europe-Asia Center Co-Chair H.E. Jean de Ruyt, and a presentation of the Europe-Asia Center by Director for Europe Mr. Matic Gajsek, participants discussed challenges and opportunities for enhancing EU-Asia business ties, expressing concerns about the growing geopoliticization of relations, and underscoring the imperative for intensified efforts in promoting dialogue and mutual understanding. Including representatives from the business chapters of Australia, Hong Kong, Macao, Mongolia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and South Korea, the EBOWN delegation emphasized the importance of organizations like the Europe-Asia Center in bridging divides amidst an increasingly complex global geopolitical landscape. Moving beyond business matters, participants notably highlighted the significance of cultural collaboration, recognizing its potential to alleviate tensions and enhance the trade and investment environment between the EU and Asia. "Peace and stable relations are the bedrock upon which successful European trade and investment in Asia are built. Therefore, collaborating with business leaders to fortify dialogue and partnerships between East and West is a cornerstone priority for the Europe-Asia Center," noted Jonathan Schwestka, Project Coordinator at the Europe-Asia Center, at the conclusion of the meeting. For press enquiries: Jonathan Schwestka, Project Coordinator, Europe – Asia Center E-mail: jonathan.schwestka@europe-asia.org