Patricia Aranguren Moliner, Assistant Manager within the International Business Advisory team at Dezan Shira & Associates’ Europe Desk, visited Brussels in the second week of June as part of the firm’s ongoing engagement with European institutional, academic, and business stakeholders.
The ReConnect China project brings together a consortium of universities, think tanks, and research institutions from 12 European countries — Belgium, Estonia, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, Austria, Spain, Finland, France, Czechia, Norway, and Germany — to examine the evolving relationship between the European Union and China.
During the visit, Patricia attended the “ReConnect China Dialogue? Conditions, Constraints, and Futures of EU–China Engagement” at the Egmont Palace on June 12. The Brussels edition followed earlier conferences in Tartu in 2024 and The Hague in 2025 and formed part of the EU-funded project led by Ghent University.
With Outi Luova, Director of the Finnish University Network for Asian Studies, University of Turku
Through Asia Briefing, the firm collaborates with the University of Turku, one of the partner institutions participating in the project. The university is also a leading member of the Finnish University Network for Asian Studies (Asianet), alongside the University of Jyväskylä and Tampere University. Established in 1996, the network has helped advance Asia-related education and research in Finland while pioneering online learning initiatives since 1999. Selected Asia Briefing resources form part of the network’s course materials, providing participants with practical insights into Asia’s business, regulatory, and investment landscape.
The conference provided an ideal environment to explore synergies among business stakeholders, academia, research institutions, and policymakers. Bringing together approximately 150 policymakers, economists, researchers, and international affairs specialists, the program featured three plenary sessions, three parallel tracks, and a series of expert panels covering trade and economic de-risking, foreign policy, science and technology, and international relations.
Across these discussions, participants examined the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of Europe–China cooperation.
While in Brussels, a key gateway to Europe’s institutional and business landscape, Patricia had the opportunity to meet with several partners as part of the Europe Desk’s broader efforts to deepen engagement across the region. These included the Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce (BCECC), with which the firm has previously collaborated.
Looking back on the visit, Patricia highlighted: “Events like ReConnect China provide a valuable platform for bringing together diverse perspectives on the evolving relationship between Europe and China. As companies navigate an increasingly complex global environment, informed dialogue and collaboration remain essential to building stronger connections.”
With Koen Van Duyse, Partner at Tiberghien
Dezan Shira & Associates’ Presence in Europe
Incorporated in Munich in January 2021, Dezan Shira & Associates’ European presence serves as a first point of contact for European companies wishing to do business in Asia. In both the Munich and Milan offices, our European-based team works with a variety of partners to educate businesses on the economic performance and regulatory environment of developing Asian economies.
