On July 9, 2018, was inaugurated the first flight operated by XL Airways connecting Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport to Jinan in Shandong.
XL Airways lands in Jinan
Europe-China Summit: some progress for the New Silk Roads
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met the leaders of the European Union in Beijing for the annual EU-China summit on July 16, 2018.
Prime Minister Li Keqiang’s visit to Europe: new BRI projects in Eastern Europe
Li Keqiang participated in the 7th 16 + 1 Framework Heads of State Summit held in Sofia, Bulgaria. The 16 + 1 mechanism brings together China and sixteen states of Central and Eastern Europe and aims to strengthen relations between the two regions.
Former Italian Premier convinced by BRI
According to Romano Prodi, the “Belt and Road Initiative” is the most important project that China has offered to the world.
China and Europe: suggestions from Ukraine
On June 8, 2018, a round table held in Kyiv, Ukraine, was dedicated to the “Belt and Road Initiative”.
This event, organized by the Ukrainian Institute for the Future, brought together about thirty experts on the issue of Sino-Ukrainian exchanges.
French Prime Minister’s visit to Beijing
French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe traveled to China for a four-day visit.
The prime minister insisted on establishing new balanced trade relations between France and China, in order to reduce the 30-billion-euro-trade deficit.
Belt and Road Initiative at Wallonia Export Days
On June 5, 2018, the AWEX (Walloon Export Agency) organised a workshop dedicated to the Belt and Road for the “Wallonia Export Days”.
BRI at DoC Research Institute
On May 30 2018, a roundtable entitled “Capacity Building for Infrastructure Development in Emerging Economies” was co-organised by Dialogue of Civilizations Research Institute and T20.
Angela Merkel’s 11th visit to China
Angela Merkel traveled to China for a state visit on May 2′-25, 2018. This is the eleventh time that Angela Markel goes to China.
China is holding out a hand to the EU about BRI
According to the German newspaper Handelsblatt, 27 of the 28 European ambassadors to Beijing released a report warning their respective governments about the Chinese project of the new Silk Roads, highlighting its possible lack of transparency and criticizing the predominance of Chinese interests in this project.