Young people are a driving force capable of opening up the field of possibilities in China-Europe relations.
About fifty foreign students participate in a large intangible cultural heritage market and discover traditional Chinese culture in Qingdao (Shandong), December 12, 2024.
Today, youth are considered a major force in international relations. Thanks to smartphones, social networks and automatic translation software, young Chinese and Europeans can transcend linguistic and cultural barriers. This unprecedented dialogue reduces the distance between them and opens new perspectives for the complex relations between China and Europe.
Pablo Iglesias Turrión, former Spanish Deputy Prime Minister, is closely following this profound transformation. A fervent defender of European strategic autonomy, he notably addressed the importance of the younger generation during an interview given to China in the Present on the occasion of his first visit to China.
Cooperation with China, a better option
According to Mr Turrión, for Europe to find its place in a changing world, the key lies not only in high-level political decisions, but also in the ability to foster genuine and deep mutual understanding between people, particularly young people. This fundamental understanding is essential to Europe’s strategic autonomy. For a long time, Europe has found itself constrained by external frameworks in its political and military affairs. “Since the Cold War, Western Europe has been integrated into the NATO framework, which has affected, to a certain extent, its political and military independence,” he believes. On certain issues, such as the Ukrainian crisis, he considers that the strategies adopted by Europe have harmed its own long-term interests.
“The system put in place under the auspices of the United States after World War II has, to some extent, limited Europe’s ability to make independent decisions. » According to him, the world is no longer unipolar. Development led by Asian countries like China has profoundly reshaped the global landscape, forcing Europe to redefine its strategic positioning.
“Although some of Europe’s positions in the Ukraine crisis are not optimal, strengthening cooperation and friendship with China actually represents a better option. » According to the former Deputy Prime Minister, Europe should find new equal partners. China’s adherence to the principle of non-interference, within the framework of international cooperation, offers Europe a significant alternative. Referring to Henry Kissinger, he stressed that the United States should recognize China’s vital role in the Asia-Pacific region and Eurasia.
Hungarian students learn to write Chinese characters in Zhoukou, Henan, October 21, 2025.
Beyond the Western narrative
Regarding Sino-European relations, Mr. Turrión identifies a major obstacle: the general ignorance of China within Western societies. This lack of knowledge stems largely from well-established narrative patterns which tend to present China as a singular “Other”, instead of objectively depicting its reality.
“China never imposes its political and economic systems on other countries. » To illustrate his remarks, he took Latin America as an example, detailing the contrasting roles of China and the United States in this region. While the United States has long followed the “Monroe Doctrine”, pursuing a foreign policy often marked by pronounced interventionism. This includes defending their interests through sanctions, blockades and even supporting coups, acts “in serious violation of international law”. On the other hand, “China, through fair cooperation, has helped Latin American countries better preserve their sovereignty and development interests,” he adds.
He stated unambiguously that no political system is perfect, but that any judgment must be based on facts and results. According to him, the American social model faces enormous challenges in solving its internal problems, such as wealth inequality and lack of public services, and its system, which he describes as “serving millionaires”, shows signs of running out of steam. China’s success, on the other hand, irrefutably proves that “political stability is an essential condition for economic development.” “Eighty years ago, no one could have imagined that China would achieve what it has achieved today, which fully demonstrates the effectiveness of its development strategy,” he concludes.
A young French woman admires Hunan embroidery during an exhibition of Hunan intangible cultural heritage organized as part of the 7th China-France Cultural Forum in Changsha, November 3, 2025.
The future in the hands of young people
Turrión pinned his hopes on the younger generation to strengthen mutual understanding between China and Europe. Convinced by the potential of new technologies, he sees them as powerful tools allowing young people to promote dialogue, bridge gaps and overcome traditional and politicized information barriers.
“The most important tool today is actually social media,” he says, citing RedNote and TikTok, which fundamentally transform conventional modes of interaction and allow young people to communicate anytime, anywhere. During his stay in China, he used WeChat and saw the convenience of communicating directly with his Chinese friends. “It opened a new door to communication,” he notes.
He also highlighted that machine translation software allows young people to discuss complex topics without hindrance, creating favorable conditions for authentic and in-depth understanding. Beyond technological aspects, he emphasized the exchange of ideas among young people and highlighted global challenges such as climate change, identifying them as key areas in which young Chinese and Europeans can join forces.
Turrión further praised China’s approach of guiding sustainable economic development through national planning, saying it will provide valuable lessons to the world on how to ensure that economic development, under the guidance of public policies, serves the interests of more people, or even the entire population. “This is also the path that young Chinese and Europeans should explore and follow together,” he adds.
Youth, with their mastery of new technologies and their open-mindedness, now bear a triple historical responsibility: leading the world towards a more objective understanding of China, building bridges of understanding and promoting the development of healthier and more autonomous Sino-European relations.
