China-EU ties key to global stability, cooperation: Chinese ambassador

Chinese Ambassador to Belgium Fei Shengchao on Tuesday highlighted the strategic importance of China-European Union relations in promoting peace, stability, and long-term partnership amid growing global uncertainty, ahead of the 25th China-EU Summit in Beijing on Thursday.

In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Fei emphasized the critical role that high-level dialogues play in strengthening bilateral ties and stabilizing the global landscape.

"I believe that the high-level exchanges do have an important role to play to further strengthening the communication and cooperation between China and the EU, and also contributing to the peace, stability and development in today's world. As many would agree that we live in a more uncertain and volatile world, but in this circumstances of increasing instability and uncertainty, it has become all the more important for China and the European Union to provide more stability and certainty," said Fei.

Amid complex trade relations and growing international challenges, Fei stressed that the China-EU relationship should not be defined by disagreements, but by common goals and long-term cooperation.

"Such a very closely connected relationship is only natural that sometimes people may not see eye to eye on each and every issue. What is important is not to define the relationship by how much we disagree or how many problems we have found. Of course we bear in mind the challenges we have, and problems we may find. More importantly we need to define the relationship by the long-term feature of the relationship that is cooperation, that is partnership," he said.

Fei also addressed ongoing debates in Europe surrounding the strategy of "de-risking" from China and fears it could eventually lead to "decoupling". He encouraged a balanced and objective understanding of the issue of overcapacity.

"I think we need to take a fair perspective in terms of overcapacity. What does it mean exactly? It doesn't mean that as long as you produce more than you can consume yourself, then you have overcapacity. If that is the case, then there would be no international trade at all, because we may see that even in Europe, I think that about 80 percent of German cars are built for exports. It's not for German use, and not even just for the European use. And the same may be applied to Japan and also for American chips, many, many commodities. As a matter of fact, when people talk about green development which is still important and which is still in the area where China and the EU have much common ground, there's not an overcapacity but under capacity at the moment," said Fei.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang, President of the European Council Antonio Costa, and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen jointly chaired the 25th China-EU Summit in Beijing on Thursday.

China-EU ties key to global stability, cooperation: Chinese ambassador

A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.

Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.

In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.

"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.

Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.

In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.

"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.

By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.

After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.

"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.

Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.

As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.

Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media