This photo taken on Nov. 20, 2025 shows a welcome sign of the 18th Europe-China Business & Technology Cooperation Fair in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

The 18th Europe-China Business & Technology Cooperation Fair concluded Friday in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, with more than 600 government officials, business leaders and experts from over 20 countries attending the event.

Jointly hosted by the China Chamber of International Commerce (CCOIC) and the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, the fair serves as a high-level platform for precise matchmaking between European and Chinese businesses. Its goal is to foster meaningful and sustainable cooperation across a range of sectors.

Since its inception, the fair has attracted over 12,600 Chinese and European companies, facilitated nearly 30,000 matchmaking sessions, and led to more than 3,300 intent cooperation agreements, according to the CCOIC.

Under the theme "Mutual Trust and Connectivity, Shared Success and Prosperity," this year's event underscored a growing consensus among European stakeholders that China is not a dependency, but a vital partner with ample room for collaboration.

Zoltan Hidveghy, managing director of PTE Inno Capital, the technology transfer arm of Hungary's University of Pecs, came to Chengdu looking for partnerships in research, biotech and commercialization.

"We are here to explore opportunities, not exactly investment in the traditional sense, but possibilities for collaboration," said Hidveghy, whose university is developing an industrial park in Hungary and generates significant research and development (R&D) through its some 20,000 students and 11,000 staff.

He emphasized that China's rapid innovation cycle and swift response times are significant advantages in comparison to Europe. "Once you come up with something, you immediately implement it. That is a big difference," he noted.

Hidveghy also observed a qualitative shift in China's innovation landscape. "Earlier I wouldn't have mentioned design, but now everything produced in China looks good and is very well made," he said. These changes, in his view, are transforming the relationship from one of reliance to a complementary one characterized by "innovation, sustainability, and design."

Raquel Ramirez Alexander, vice president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China and a 10-year Chengdu resident, highlighted how firsthand exposure is shifting outdated European perceptions.

"People don't realize how modern China is, how innovative, and how many industries are advancing at such a rapid pace," she said. "When they come to Chengdu, Chongqing -- the southwest, they are really surprised in a very positive way."

Alexander described the fair as increasingly necessary in a time of global uncertainty, where partners are looking for an "open, fair and predictable business environment." She cited a conversation with a young engineer at a local R&D center to illustrate the synergy: "European expertise allowed them to have precision, and China's industrious capability allowed them to have speed."

With both sides striving toward ambitious climate goals, she envisions new opportunities emerging in clean mobility, the circular economy, and advanced manufacturing. "I believe there is still so much in front of us," she added.

Anthony Gasiorek, secretary general of ONTPE, an organization that supports small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in France, visited China many times over the past 15 years. "Everything has changed. The Chinese market has grown extremely fast, much faster than Europe," he said.

Gasiorek argued that the core of the relationship is reciprocity. "Both sides need each other," he noted. "European companies need the support and scale of the Chinese market. Chinese companies need the European market and opportunities to expand internationally."

He identified new energy, photovoltaics, robotics, electric vehicles and advanced manufacturing as fields where cooperation is essential. "Both Europe and China need each other to advance these technologies, because the world is changing quickly, and global cooperation is necessary."

Gasiorek also highlighted that China's diversified industrial ecosystem offers a destination for highly trained French engineers and students, enabling joint innovation on a global scale.

A recurring theme among the participants was that cooperation between China and the European Union is increasingly defined by joint innovation, shared standards and interconnected supply chains. 

Participants attend the Europe-China B2B Matchmaking Meeting during the 18th Europe-China Business & Technology Cooperation Fair in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Nov. 20, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]