ABSTRACT
In the history of the development of China–EU relations, 15 and 16 January 2016 are the crucial points in the development of the fruitful financial side. It is also when China–EU relations stepped onto a new stage: by strengthening financial ties, the relationship between China and the EU transformed from trade partners into global investment partners. On 15 January, China officially became a member of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The next day, 16 January, Chinese president Xi Jinping announced that the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) was formally established and open for business. The AIIB has a strong European overtone. Of the 57 official founding members, 18 are European countries, nearly one third of the membership. These two events showed that China–EU financial cooperation had reached a new level.
