China, EU are partners with vast cooperation potential rather than rivals: Chinese ambassador

China and the European Union (EU) share extensive opportunities for cooperation across multiple sectors and are partners rather than opponents, said Cai Run, head of the Chinese Mission to the EU, in an exclusive interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) on Saturday.

Speaking ahead the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-EU diplomatic ties, the Chinese ambassador said that the bilateral relations between China and the EU have steadily grown over the past 50 years, with practical cooperation flourishing and friendship deepening. "This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the EU, an important year in the development of China-EU relations. Over the past 50 years, this relationship has traveled an extraordinary journey, and maintained a steady growth momentum," said Cai.

The economic and trade cooperation between China and the EU, which is mutually beneficial and complementary, is a vital part of the relationship, delivering real benefits to the two peoples and contributing to global economic growth and prosperity, said Cai.

Cai also said that China and the EU have no fundamental conflicts of interest or geopolitical tensions, and their consensus and cooperation far outweigh differences and competition.

"Our cooperation is vast in scale and broad in scope. It's inevitable that differences and frictions may arise. China opposes politicizing economic and trade issues and over-stretching the concept of security and rejects protectionism," said Cai. "In conversations with my Chinese and European friends, I often heard one view that makes perfect sense to me, to turn the points of friction and differences between China and EU into points of cooperation and growth in our relationship. There's promising potential in clean energy technology, new energy and combating climate change. Another key area of cooperation in the future is artificial intelligence. We also share common interests and needs in upholding multilateralism, preserving the WTO-centered multilateral trading system and opposing unilateralism and protectionism," Cai continued.

China-EU relations carry more strategic significance and global impact in a world full of changes and turbulence, said Cai, adding that the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties presents an opportunity to enhance high-level exchanges and to deepen practical cooperation.

"After over 50 years of exchanges and cooperation, including economy and trade, China and EU have formed an economic relationship that is closely intertwined and highly symbiotic. China is now advancing high-quality development and the Chinese modernization, while the EU is striving to enhance competitiveness. These efforts create fresh opportunities for collaboration," said Cai.

Cai reaffirmed China's commitment to enhancing coordination with the EU on major international and regional issues, aiming to promote political dialogue and safeguard regional and world peace and stability.

"It is important to enhance coordination on major international and regional issues. China is also ready to strengthen communication with the EU on international hotspot issues to promote political sentiment process and safeguard regional and world peace and stability," Cai said

China, EU are partners with vast cooperation potential rather than rivals: Chinese ambassador

China, EU are partners with vast cooperation potential rather than rivals: Chinese ambassador

From cutting-edge technology exhibitions to retail stores thousands of kilometers away from Europe and Southeast Asia, China-made robot vacuum cleaners are increasingly becoming a popular choice among consumers worldwide.

At electronics retailers in Berlin, Germany, Chinese brands such as Roborock and Dreame occupy prominent positions in dedicated robot vacuum sections, offering a wide range of products priced between 200 and 2,000 euros.

Many local consumers said that when purchasing smart home appliances including robot vacuum cleaners, they tend to give priority to Chinese-made products.

"It's a good price and good quality. It's also the innovation. I have a feeling that the European brands are not innovating enough," said one customer.

"I think they're always on top of the other technologies. They are getting them out faster. A lot of us are switching to the Chinese technology," another consumer said.

Germany is one of the most important overseas markets for China's floor-cleaning robots.

According to data from market research firm GfK, from January to November 2025, more than six out of 10 robot vacuum cleaners sold in Western Europe were Chinese brands.

Industry data also point to a strong global momentum.

According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), global shipments of smart robot vacuum cleaners reached 17.424 million units in the first three quarters of 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of 18.7 percent.

Chinese brands including Roborock, Ecovacs, Dreame, Xiaomi and Narwal ranked among the world's top five in terms of shipment volume, with a combined share of nearly 70 percent of the global market.

At a robot vacuum cleaner manufacturing plant in Huizhou, south China's Guangdong Province, workers were seen stepping up production of newly launched models that recently debuted at the Consumer Electronics Show in the United States, which concluded Friday in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The factory adjusted its production lines as early as December 2025 and stocked inventory in advance for overseas markets to ensure that new products could be delivered to global consumers at the earliest possible time.

"In 2025, Roborock's global shipments exceeded 7.2 million units. Since 2024, overseas revenue has accounted for more than 50 percent of our total revenue. Our products have now been sold to more than 170 countries and regions, serving more than 20 million households worldwide," said Quan Gang, president of Roborock.

At another robot vacuum cleaner manufacturing facility in Dongguan, Guangdong, rising overseas orders have prompted the company to upgrade its production lines with intelligent technologies to further boost capacity. The factory is currently operating at full load to meet a growing demand.

"For 2026, we have already obtained overseas orders worth at least 300 million to 400 million yuan (around 43 million to 57.3 million U.S. dollars). In addition, we've engaged in strategic cooperation with European home appliance group Cebos Group, and our total confirmed orders have exceeded 600 million yuan (around 86 million U.S. dollars)," said Zhang Junbin, founder and CEO of Narwal Robotics.

Chinese robot vacuum brands gain strong global traction