In May last year, Li made his first trip to Germany after taking office and won the support of the German government, which vetoed Brussels' decision, following dozens of EU member states.
Li made a last-minute call on Barroso the following month, as Brussels was about to vote on whether to end the solar panel dispute through amicable consultation.
Li's decisive role was crucial in preventing the escalation of a trade war. If Beijing had opted to deal with such disputes in an eye-for-eye, tooth-for-tooth manner, both sides would have been losers, with the EU taking the brunt. It has already suffered two economic recessions, and its jobless rate has been in double digits for a few years now.
Of course, with the trade volume between China and Europe expanding, and with investment pouring into Europe, China's government, its businesses and its media must work to make the most of the rising economic tide.
So far, there is no unified Chinese business council in Brussels to represent and lobby for Chinese investors in Europe. By contrast, a major US business organization reportedly has 300 staff members focusing on Brussels' policymaking.
A lack of communication and influence can easily lead to misunderstandings. Bureaucrats in Brussels usually follow Washington's lead when making policies that affect China.
Trade commission leaders need to make more field trips to member states to learn how Chinese businesses matter.
Take China's solar panel exports for example. The industry, which involves about 400,000 workers in China, has offered competitive products to thousands of European upstream companies and helped Europe achieve its status as a green energy leader.
In telecom, Huawei and ZTE are deeply integrated with European partners. And, incidentally, Huawei is a steady job creator in Europe, where young people, in particular, have faced huge employment challenges.
If De Gucht had kept the big picture in mind, he would not have made confrontational moves against China and its businesses.
Overall, the EU recognizes China as strong strategic partner. This is the starting point for dispute control. Amicability helps both sides win. With confrontation, everyone loses.
The author is China Daily chief correspondent in Brussels. fujing@chinadaily.com.cn
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