More than one year has passed since the European Union proposed its Global Gateway Initiative. Yet it remains unclear how much money has been disbursed under the framework. No wonder it was reported that confusion reigns in Brussels about how it should be materialized into concrete projects, or whether it still exists at all.

The confidence and ambition with which the EU leaders declared the launch of the initiative in late 2021 is in sharp contrast with the studied silence they maintain on it now. Misled by Washington, some in Brussels mistakenly regard China as a security threat and ideological enemy of the EU.

It is clear that neither the EU nor the US is willing to meaningfully assist developing countries, and the Global Gateway Initiative is only a pie the EU has painted in the sky with pigments made in the US.

The Belt and Road Initiative is an open platform and public good, and China welcomes the EU and the US to take part in the initiative or complement it with initiatives of their own.

It is a pity that Brussels, under the influence of Washington, has been relinquishing its independence when it comes to handling issues related to China, and its Global Gateway Initiative is intended to counter the Belt and Road Initiative rather than promote the development of developing countries.

European Council President Charles Michel's visit to Beijing last month, as well as the recent constructive exchanges between Chinese and German and French leaders on different occasions, have all indicated the significance the two sides attach to Sino-EU relations, and the broad common interests they can serve by keeping bilateral relations on a healthy development track.

Docking the Global Gateway Initiative with the Belt and Road Initiative would help breathe life back into the former, as that would prompt the EU and China to better tap into their complementarity so that they can work together to address not only the development and governance deficits of the world, but also the trust deficit.

Differences should never be a cause for confrontation but instead encourage dialogue that facilitates cooperation and mutual learning.