55 years of diplomatic ties between Belgium and China: balanced trade relations form a base for sustainable cooperation

In 55 years, China has ascended from a developing country to become an economic powerhouse. Our relations have also evolved along with this development. Today, we strive for a balanced and mutually beneficial trade relation, and we maintain an open dialogue in mutual respect.

On 25 October 1971, Belgium forged diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China, exactly 55 years ago. That happened in the wake of the opening the VS – under President Nixon – made towards China. Many other European countries were also building up relations at the time.
 

Fire horse

During those 55 years, a lot has changed. Initially, China was a developing country with substantial poverty, and in that sense, for a while – until 1999 – it was a partner country of Belgian development cooperation. Today, the Asian giant is a veritable world power that plays a vital part in the global economy.

That means that relations have also changed: today, we pay much more attention to each other. That translates into more staff being employed in our embassy and consulates in China, whereas nowadays, China itself also has a very large diplomatic delegation in Brussels, partly because of the EU’s presence there.

China, however, regards not only the EU, but also the small country of Belgium as an important partner. That is why the 55^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations – even though it is not a round number – still marks a great opportunity to highlight our cooperation. Moreover, it is celebrated during the year of the ‘fire horse’, which is, according to Chinese astrology, a symbol of power, generosity, and ambition, revered for its energy, stamina, and vibrant character.

One of the activities was an exhibition in the China Cultural Center in Brussels, featuring contemporary interpretations of characteristic Chinese ShanShui paintings: landscapes with mountains and water. In China, the Hangzhou Yinglan Center hosted an art exhibition, that Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Prévot visited during his mission, that took place end of April 2026.
 

Visa-free

Both Belgium and China realise that they – certainly during these turbulent times – need a sound relationship of cooperation, that benefits both parties and is rooted in mutual respect.

Therefore, during his visit in April, Minister Prévot emphasised that today, it remains as vital as ever to keep the dialogue open, to be reliable partners to each other, to tackle global challenges together, and to promote common development and prosperity.

China is effectively an indispensable partner for Belgium – and vice versa – but nonetheless, the minister emphasised that the trade relation must be both balanced and mutually beneficial, which is not always the case now. At the same time, it remains a fact that both countries have many things to offer each other, especially in matters such as agriculture, the green transition, and logistics.

Meanwhile, as a token of their friendly relations, China has extended visa-free entry to Belgian passport holders until 31 December 2026. This applies to tourism and business trips that do not last longer than 30 days. Furthermore, additional flight connections were established, including between Brussels on the one hand and Chongqing and Chengdu on the other hand. The number of cargo flights to Liège and Brussels was also increased.

In any case, we would like to seize the opportunity of the 55^th anniversary to maintain a close dialogue, to step up efforts to find common ground, enhance exchanges between people, and to make better use of the potential of concrete cooperation.