EU Delegation to China Hosts Alumni Homecoming Event to Strengthen EU-China People-to-People Exchanges
Beijing, February 27, 2025
The EU Delegation to China, with the support of the public diplomacy programme EUPOP, hosted the EU Alumni Homecoming Event in Beijing, bringing together Chinese alumni of European universities and European students. The event marked 50 years of EU-China diplomatic relations and highlighted the role of people-to-people exchanges in fostering trust and mutual understanding.
EU Ambassador to China, Jorge Toledo, opened the event by emphasising the importance of academic and cultural exchanges in maintaining strong EU-China relations. “The exchange of ideas and knowledge between our peoples is essential for the maintenance of EU-China relations. It is through these exchanges that we build the foundation of trust and understanding that will guide us in addressing global challenges and seizing new opportunities,” he stated.
The event featured a keynote presentation by Ms. Mireia Paulo, Head of Management at the Centre for EU-Asia Connectivity (CEAC), on EU-China diplomatic relations and the High-Level People-to-People Dialogue (HPPD). She also introduced CEAC’s role as a Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence, which facilitates research and academic partnerships between Europe and China.
Following the keynote, Ms. Hélène Juramy, Trade Counsellor at the EU Delegation to China, and Ms. Paulo engaged in a roundtable discussion, sharing personal and professional insights on EU-China people-to-people exchanges. Topics included the role of alumni networks in fostering EU-China engagement, policy dialogue, and collaboration opportunities.
The event concluded with a Q&A session and a networking opportunity, allowing participants to exchange ideas and explore future collaborations.
As EU-China relations mark five decades of engagement, such initiatives continue to play a key role in strengthening academic, professional, and cultural ties between the two regions.
