The participants agreed that China is the main adversary of the US in its quest for maintaining global leadership, and that the dynamics of relations between the two countries is therefore crucial for the European Union. In this context, the EU can open the door to dialogue, while Slovenia must act in the national and European interests. China’s agenda also includes topics that are of particular importance for Slovenia, such as artificial intelligence, technology, science and research, and especially environmental protection and green transformation, which could, from several aspects, facilitate concrete and beneficial collaboration between Slovenia and China. To become a successful partner to the country specialising in long-term strategies and vision, Slovenia needs a similar long-term strategy. Minister Fajon also mentioned that the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is reshaping its foreign policy strategy, which will later be sent to the Council members for discussion, as well as a separate strategy for Asia and the Pacific, which has long been neglected.

During the discussion, Council members also analysed some of the major highlights of the report of the recently concluded National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, which is considered the event of the decade in China, charting the political, economic and security course for the next decade.