In the tide of globalization, China's foreign trade has developed rapidly. After the reform and opening up, China's goods quickly occupied the international market and became an indispensable part of the global economy. In 2015, Russia-led the creation of the Eurasian Economic Union, which includes Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia, in the face of the EU's successive expansion and squeezing its economic and political space. The new economy aims to strengthen economic cooperation within the region and enhance the competitiveness of member countries in the global economy. And China, as a country seeking wider recognition and influence on the international stage, has become increasingly close to this alliance and has gradually become its largest trading partner.
In the late autumn of 2017, a spacious conference room in Beijing was brightly lit. Liu Wei, a senior trade representative of China, sat at a table with an investment proposal to be submitted to the Eurasian Economic Union. The proposal details China's plans to invest $14 billion in the alliance over the next two years. Liu Wei whispered to himself: "This will be a win-win road." ”
Back in 2015, when the Eurasian Economic Union was first formed, China was already planning how to exert influence in the new economy. Liu Wei had a preliminary exchange with several key figures of the alliance at an official dinner in Moscow. "What we value is long-term cooperation," Liu Wei explained to the leaders of the alliance at the dinner, "China's investment is not only about capital investment, but also about bringing our development experience and technology to you." ”
In the years that followed, Chinese companies sprung up to build mineral processing plants in Kazakhstan and invest in dairy and meat processing bases in Belarus, diversifying the local economy. In 2020, China's trade with the Eurasian Economic Union accounted for 29.3% of the total trade volume.
With the increase in trade, the anti-dumping voice of Chinese products within the Eurasian Economic Union has gradually increased. In June 2020, the alliance launched an anti-dumping investigation into China's heatable aluminum tableware. When Liu Wei received the news, he was discussing with the team how to further deepen the cooperative relationship with Kyrgyzstan. He is well aware that, despite the huge investment, the shadow of protectionism in international trade is always difficult to avoid completely.
"We must deal with this crisis," Mr. Liu said at an emergency meeting, "and our efforts cannot be wasted because of this investigation." ”
Dialogue and negotiation became the norm. Liu Wei flew to the capitals of the alliance several times to communicate face-to-face with local government officials. At a conference, a Kazakh official said: "We sincerely welcome Chinese investment, but we must also protect our own industries from unfair competition." ”
Liu Wei responded: "We understand this and hope to find solutions together through greater transparency and cooperation. ”
After months of hard work, China and the alliance have reached a new trade deal that strengthens the regulatory mechanism for trade fairness, and adds a new platform for technology exchange and industrial cooperation to reduce the possibility of future trade frictions.
In the spring of 2021, with the implementation of the new agreement, the anti-dumping investigation gradually subsided. Relations between China and the Eurasian Economic Union have been reinstated as a result of this crisis, and cooperation between the two sides has deepened and exchanges have become more frequent. Liu Wei stood at the launching ceremony of the new cooperation project, looking at the rows of new equipment and workers with anticipating faces, and his heart was full of a sense of accomplishment. "It's a new beginning," he said with a smile to his Russian partner next to him.
Through the lens of this history, we have not only witnessed China's strategy and expansion on the international stage, but also the importance of cooperation and dialogue in resolving conflicts in the era of globalization. Despite the challenges and misunderstandings, through perseverance and sincere dialogue, doubts can be resolved and a win-win situation can be achieved. This is not only a test of China's foreign policy, but also a firm affirmation of the spirit of international cooperation. In this changing world, cooperation remains the bridge to peace and prosperity.