The topic of the China Talks series s, organized by the Center for International Economy Mathias Corvinus Collegium, was "Strategic Autonomy" in a Time of Upheaval: How the EU's Quest for Sovereignty Reshapes China-Europe Relations. The event was moderated by Kamilla Marosi, a student at the MCC School of International Relations. The discussion partner was Professor Song Lilei from China. Song Lilei, Professor at the School of Political Science and International Relations, director of the European Research Center, and researcher at the German Research Center at Tongji University.

At the China Talks event, the panelists thoroughly explored the current state and future of economic relations between the European Union and China. It was further noted that the European Union’s pursuit of strategic autonomy is increasingly constrained by three interconnected structural challenges: deep-rooted security dependence on the United States, growing political fragmentation among member states, and the leadership vacuum within the Union.

In the latter half of the event, the roundtable discussion addressed salient issues, including the EU's precarious position as it grapples with the dissonance between its political aspirations and the prevailing geopolitical landscape. This discordance, further exacerbated by intensifying competition between China and the United States, has led to a state of uncertainty, marked by a hesitant approach toward China, as the EU awaits the designation of China as a “systemic rival”. This hesitancy is further compounded by the economic constraints that prevent the EU from fully relinquishing the strategic significance of the Chinese market.

In addition to audience inquiries, the China Talks event provided several insightful perspectives on the future of economic and trade relations between China and the European Union. The event was held to capacity.