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Belgium–China relations began in the early 1970s about 20 years after mainland China came under communist rule.
Contents
History
Diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Belgium were established on 25 October 1971. The diplomatic relationship began to improve and grow during the 1980s with visits from high-ranking governments from both sides such as Zhu Rongji in April 1991 and Vice-premier Qian Qichen in March 1992. From the Belgium side, Crown prince Albert has visited China in May 1993 and the king of Belgium, Crown prince Philippe visited in November 1996 and May 2000. The former prime ministers Jean-Luc Dehaene visited China in November 1998 and Prime minister Guy Verhofstadt visited in March 2002.
The bilateral relationship has increased with economic trade between the two countries. Belgium has a pavilion in the Shanghai Expo 2010.
Bilateral relations
China's Vice Premier Xi Jinping has been to Belgium in October 2009 to enhance bilateral cooperation in terms of trade, human and cultural exchanges.
The trade between the two countries in 2002 came to a value of US$4.898 billion. China is Belgium's sixth biggest trading partner which makes up 4.1% of Belgium's trade. The trade between the two countries in 2008 exceeded 20 billion and growing on average 20% every year.
Chinese people in Belgium
Qian Xiuling (1912–2008), or Siou-Ling Tsien de Perlinghi, was a Chinese emigrant to Belgium who helped to save nearly 100 Belgian people from execution by the Nazis during World War II. She won a medal in Belgium and had a street named after her.