PAST EVENT – European Guanxi Conference 2026: The Avoidable Trade War
INVITATION
IN-PERSON EVENT
European Guanxi Conference 2026
The Avoidable Trade War
Date: Saturday, 19 September 2026
Time: 9:00 – 19:00 Brussels time
Venue: EIAS, Rue de la Loi 26, 10th Floor, B-1040 Brussels
The event will be accompanied by a networking reception.
How can the European Union and China manage growing trade tensions while maintaining dialogue and avoiding further escalation?
On 19 September 2026, the European Guanxi Conference returns to Brussels for a full day of discussion on the future of EU-China economic relations. Hosted by the European Institute for Asian Studies (EIAS), the conference will bring together policymakers, academics, business representatives, diplomats, and young professionals to explore practical solutions for dialogue and sustainable economic cooperation.
Against a backdrop of heightened economic-security concerns, industrial policy measures, market-access challenges, and increasing technological competition, the conference will focus on three key areas:
The Trade Toolbox: The EU and China will examine the range of instruments available to both sides, including tariffs, market-access measures, trade-defence instruments, and emerging economic-security tools.
Navigating Trade Tensions Through Diplomacy will consider the role of the newly formalised EU-China Trade and Investment Consultations in providing a framework for addressing disagreements and preventing further escalation.
Trade in the Age of AI and Technological Competition will explore the implications of developments in artificial intelligence, semiconductors, digital technologies, and clean technologies for competitiveness, economic security, and EU-China relations.
The programme featured keynote addresses and expert panels, alongside perspectives from the next generation of Europe-China specialists.
📅 19 September 2026 | 09:00–19:00 CET
📍 EIAS, Rue de la Loi 26, 10th Floor, 1040 Brussels
Photo credits: European Guanxi