China EU Photo:VCG

A delegation from China's defense ministry visited Europe from March 23 to 29 for a series of institutional dialogues, according to a statement posted by the Ministry of National Defense (MND) on its official website on Sunday, the Xinhua News Agency reported. Chinese experts said that military dialogues between China and Europe help the two sides deepen mutual understanding and dispel Europe's misunderstandings of China in military affairs, while further affirming that China serves as a stabilizer of world peace.

During the visit, the delegation participated in the 15th China-European Union dialogue on defense and security policy, the 9th China-NATO security policy dialogue, and the 15th China-Switzerland defense policy coordination dialogue, the report said.

Participants in the dialogues conducted in-depth exchanges on international and regional security situations and other issues of mutual concern, Xinhua reported.

The EU and China exchanged views on security issues in Asia and the Pacific during the 15th annual consultations on security and defense on March 24, including in the East and South China Seas and the Taiwan Straits, according to the European External Action Service (EEAS). 

Exchanges between the two sides on these key issues can help the EU understand China's red lines, and also make it recognize who the real instigator is behind the instability in the relevant waters and the Taiwan Straits, Zhang Junshe, a military affairs expert, told the Global Times on Sunday.

The two sides also exchanged views on hotspot issues in the international security landscape, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the Iran situation, according to EEAS.

The previous round, the 14th China-European Union dialogue on defense and security policy was held in Beijing on March 11, 2024, where the leaders from the Office for International Military Cooperation of China's Central Military Commission (CMC) and the Peace, Security and Defence of the EEAS co-chaired the dialogue.

The two sides exchanged views on China-Europe relations, China-EU defense cooperation, international and regional situations and other issues of common concern, according to a release posted by China's Ministry of National Defense on its website.

China's approach to engaging in international hotspot issues is to promote peace talks, said Zhang, adding that addressing relevant issues during the dialogue can once again manifest to the West China's adherence to international fairness and justice, affirming that China serves as a stabilizer of world peace.

Jian Junbo, director of the Center for China-Europe Relations at Fudan University's Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Sunday that China has consistently maintained military self-restraint in international conflicts. Should such content be touched upon in the dialogue, it could also dispel external biases regarding China's stance on the relevant conflict, thereby averting misunderstandings by European nations toward China, he added.

The consultations also provided an opportunity for dialogue on non-proliferation, disarmament and space security, per EEAS.

Zhang said the defense and security dialogues between the two sides constitute responsive moves that meet their needs, and are conducive to both China and Europe jointly safeguarding regional and global peace and stability.

As major forces of the East and West, military exchanges between China and Europe contribute to building and promoting global consensus on military security concepts, while providing a reference for military exchanges among other major powers worldwide, Jian said.