China,Germany,FranceHoldFirstTrilateralTopDiplomatTalksinMunich

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul in Munich on Feb. 13. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Top diplomats from China, Germany and France held their first-ever trilateral meeting in Munich on Friday, a move Beijing portrayed as an effort to stabilize relations with Europe amid rising global geopolitical tensions.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot to discuss the future of China-Europe relations and the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Wang characterized the inaugural three-way summit as an “innovation” necessitated by shifting times and a critical opportunity for strategic communication. He painted a stark picture of the current global landscape, noting that “unilateralism, protectionism and power politics are rampant.”

Wang warned that the international system centered on the U.N. is under severe strain, and economic globalization is facing powerful headwinds — comments that appeared to target the protectionist policies often associated with the current U.S. administration. Wang stated that as major responsible powers, the three nations bear a heavy burden to uphold peace and development.

Addressing European concerns regarding economic dependency, Wang argued that 50 years of cooperation have proven the two sides are partners, not rivals. “Interdependence is not a risk,” Wang said, pushing back against local calls for de-risking supply chains. He emphasized that China’s development represents an opportunity rather than a threat to Europe. Wang called on Germany and France, as leading E.U. powers, to maintain a rational and pragmatic policy toward China and to avoid wavering in their partnership.

Wadephul responded that faced with a turbulent world, Germany and France need to communicate with China now more than ever to eliminate misunderstandings. The German foreign minister reaffirmed Berlin’s commitment to the “one-China” policy and free trade, stating that Germany supports resolving trade frictions through negotiation rather than decoupling or severing supply chains.

Barrot echoed the sentiment, noting that rising instability and threats to the international order make partnerships essential. The French foreign minister expressed a desire to revitalize positive Europe-China relations and welcomed Beijing’s global governance initiatives. He emphasized the need for coordination on multilateral platforms to protect free trade.

The three sides engaged in discussions regarding the Ukraine crisis and other major issues in China-E.U. relations, agreeing to maintain ongoing strategic communication.