2026: Choosing the Future — A New Year Message from the President of ChinaEU

Dear friends and partners,

As we approach 2026, it is becoming increasingly clear that the real challenge is not to move faster, but to choose —clearly and responsibly — the future we want to build.

Particularly in times of economic and trade challenges, the defining question for 2026 is not how to manage disruption, but whether we are willing to articulate a credible vision for the future, where policymakers, businesses, and investors move beyond short-term reactions and commit to a long-term vision.

Technology will be central, but not as an end in itself. Artificial intelligence, digital networks, and automation have moved past the phase of announcements. What matters now is how they are used: to raise productivity, improve healthcare and education, support the energy transition, and make everyday life simpler. Growth is not progress unless it creates real value.

In this context, Europe and China carry a particular responsibility—to demonstrate that openness, cooperation, and pragmatism are not slogans, but practical tools for stability, competitiveness, and shared prosperity.

As President of ChinaEU, my wish for 2026 is clear: to turn dialogue into shared choices and projects into measurable results, building stronger bridges between our industrial, digital, and cultural ecosystems. ChinaEU will continue to play an active role in making this cooperation deeper, more concrete, and firmly future-oriented.

Wishing you, your families, and all our communities a successful and meaningful 2026—guided by vision, responsibility, and the conviction that cooperation, when chosen deliberately, is the true engine of progress.
With esteem and friendship,

Luigi Gambardella
President, ChinaEU