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Chinese leader Xi Jinping concluded his five-day Europe tour this week, where he met with officials in France, Serbia, and Hungary. Analysts believe the tour largely offered Beijing an opportunity to assess its standing in Europe as well as solidify existing alliances and promote its vision of a multipolar world.

In Paris, Xi met with French President Emmanuel Macron and EU President Ursula von der Leyen, where the EU leaders urged Xi to address the ongoing imbalance in trade, emphasizing the need for fair market access and the resolution of ongoing trade disputes. Macron also insisted Xi use China's influence in resolving conflicts, such as the war in Ukraine. While both sides agreed on the importance of dialogue in addressing economic frictions, uncertainties remain about the future trajectory of Sino-European relations.

In contrast to Xi's stop in France, his visits to EU candidate country Serbia and EU member state Hungary were marked by pledges to deepen political ties and expand investments in eastern and central Europe.

Serbia and China committed to strengthening their comprehensive strategic partnership and vowed to "build a community with a shared future," a concept first introduced by Xi a decade ago that underscores a vision of international relations based on mutual respect, common security, and peaceful development, often viewed as a challenge to the U.S.-led global order. The leaders plan to deepen economic cooperation, focusing on traditional sectors like transportation and energy infrastructure, while also expanding into innovative collaborations.

While in Hungary, Xi pledged more investments in transport and energy, including the construction of a high-speed railway connecting the capital city center to its airport and cooperation in the nuclear sector. Xi also promised to move forward on a $2.1B project to connect the Hungarian capital with the Serbian capital.

Some analysts believe this all represents Xi's keenness to reintroduce what was viewed as the Cold War-era "Second World" as a geostrategic player, and that with China's support, the periphery of the EU can become more significant economic players, boasting accelerated growth and delivering high-tech supply chains.

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