Frank Huang | Chief Researcher, Tupuce Consulting Group

I. On the Road: A Journey Through Geography and Thought

25 days, 9 countries, 17 cities, 6700 kilometers by car.

This was an unforgettable journey in my life, and also an observation of the world's true state.

On September 15, I departed from Guangzhou, transferring via Istanbul to Budapest. That city on the banks of the Danube is both ancient 

and vibrant.

Starting from here, my journey gradually unfolded – south to Subotica in Serbia, north to Vienna in Austria, then through Munich, Heidelberg, 

and Cologne in Germany, continuing on to Belgium and France, finally passing through Switzerland, Slovenia, and Croatia.

This was a route traversing Central and Western Europe, and also a route witnessing Europe's past and future.

Along the way, I met face-to-face with government representatives, entrepreneurs, researchers, and engineers from various countries; I also 

passed by countless ordinary people.

Their words, expressions, choices, and ways of life constitute the true face of Europe today.

Half was a visit, half was a study tour.

There was contemplation in meeting rooms, and meditation on mountain roads.

Every kilometer driven was an opportunity to observe the world and ponder the future.

II. The Shadow of Deglobalization: Cracks in an Integrated World

At a conference in Vienna, an executive from an Austrian energy company told me: "Supply chains were once synonymous with efficiency, but 

now they have become risk."

In Paris, a French think tank scholar frankly stated: "Europe is trying to find an 'independent' path between the US and China, but this path is 

destined to be difficult."

In Munich, I heard more German manufacturing companies talking about "reshoring" and "localized production," as if returning to a Cold War-style 

industrial division.

These conversations gave me a direct sense of the reality of "deglobalization."

It is not an abstract concept, but a force reshaping corporate decisions, capital flows, and technological cooperation.

Trade Barriers and Industrial Defense

Since the pandemic, the security of global industrial chains has been elevated to an unprecedented level.

Europe has strengthened local production capacity in key areas such as energy, chips, batteries, and AI; the US introduced the Inflation Reduction 

Act (IRA) to attract businesses back; while China is also promoting the layout of autonomous and controllable supply chains and "new quality 

productive forces."

From a macro perspective, this is a rebalancing of the global industrial structure.

But from a micro perspective, it has also led to a scarcity of trust, a slowdown in cooperation, and market fragmentation.

Political Uncertainty and the Trust Gap

The word "risk" is appearing with increasing frequency in Europe.

But the real risk does not come from the other, but from misunderstanding the other.

Europe's concerns about China, America's suspicions of Europe, developing countries' distrust of developed countries – these psychological defenses 

are constantly weakening the foundation of cooperation formed over the past three decades.

The essence of deglobalization is not the reduction of trade, but the thickening of psychological boundaries.

And any thickening of psychological boundaries ultimately translates into institutional and policy barriers.

III. The Inertia of Civilization: The Inevitable Return of Human Cooperation

History is a spiraling curve.

Division and integration are never simply endpoints and starting points, but the rhythm of civilizational progress.

From Division to Integration: The Inertia of Human Civilization

The collapse of the Roman Empire brought about the closure of the Middle Ages, but was followed by the openness of the Renaissance;

The colonial confrontations of the 19th century led to two world wars, but the post-war era gave birth to the UN, WTO, and EU.

The inertia of civilization lies in this: conflict ultimately leads to rules, and rules ultimately lead to consensus.

The current deglobalization is just another cycle of differentiation.

As transnational issues like energy, climate, population, and AI security become increasingly urgent, renewed cooperation among nations is no longer 

just a matter of morality, but a survival necessity.

The Global Nature of Technology and Capital

Technology and capital know no borders.

Among the European companies I visited, whether a Swiss energy storage technology company or a French green fund, they all maintain close ties with 

Asian partners.

In fields like new energy, energy storage, and electric vehicles, China's technological innovation and cost efficiency make "decoupling" an unrealistic fantasy.

Therefore, rather than saying globalization is receding, it is more accurate to say it is transforming into a new form of multipolar collaboration:

shifting from a single center to multiple centers, from vertical dependency to horizontal interconnection, from "manufacturing output" to "co-creation of 

knowledge and systems."

IV. The EU's inspiration: Unity in Diversity

The most symbolic events of this trip were the official establishment of the France and Germany chapters of the China-Europe Business Association (CEBA).

When we witnessed the launch ceremony of the CEBA France chapter in a meeting room near the Champs-Élysées in Paris, what I felt was not just a sense 

of achievement, but a symbol:

Even amid divergence, cooperation can still happen.

The EU is the world's most complex political and economic experiment.

It consists of 27 countries, 21 official languages, and dozens of political systems, yet it operates through a common market, common currency, and unified 

diplomatic mechanisms.

Some criticize the EU for slow decision-making and internal divisions, but it is undeniable – in the past half-century, no regional organization has been more 

stable, enduring, or integrated.

This achievement is not accidental; it stems from the EU system's core concept: Unity in Diversity.

The EU does not require member states to abandon their differences, but rather incorporates these differences into a framework of game and negotiation 

through its institutions.

This is precisely the mark of a mature civilization – learning to coexist with differing opinions.

I often think that this might be the highest wisdom of human society:

Not to eliminate conflict, but to learn to live with it;

Not to negate differences, but to make differences a driving force through institutions.

V. The Power of Dialogue: Rebuilding Trust Across Borders

Whether in meeting rooms in Paris or small town hotels in Germany's Baden region, my deepest realization was:

Human progress always depends on the capacity for dialogue.

In Budapest, I had in-depth discussions with the management of the Desay Group about their 2026 overseas energy storage project.

While discussing technical routes and capital structures, we were more concerned with how to build trust in a cross-cultural environment.

I said one thing: "The next stage of globalization is not the flow of goods, but the flow of trust."

The value of dialogue lies in its ability to rebuild connections.

In misunderstanding, language is a bridge; in divergence, trust is the starting point.

Without dialogue, all cooperation is only temporary;

With dialogue, even with different systems and interests, a win-win path can be found.

VI. Metaphors from the Journey: Reflections Beyond the Scenery

Driving 6700 kilometers, each stretch of road felt like a metaphor.

Entering Serbia from Hungary, the border was clear yet calm;

Driving from Germany to France, border checks no longer existed – the EU's "invisible border" reminded me of the institutionalization of trust.

And when the car passed through the Alpine tunnel, the sunlight迎面而来 made me feel that every advance of human civilization is light after passing 

through darkness.

I once wrote this sentence in a café by Lake Zurich in Switzerland:

"Globalization is not a destination, but a way of walking."

It is not the characteristic of a particular era, but a posture of civilization –

A mindset willing to listen, understand, and share.

VII. Conclusion: Divergence is Not the End, Dialogue is the Direction

Looking back on this 25-day journey, my heart is filled with emotion.

I see a divided world, but also a world still full of hope.

In today's increasingly fierce global competition, we need to redefine the meaning of "cooperation":

Cooperation is no longer merely economic exchange, but a synergy of civilizations.

It concerns the co-creation of values, institutions, technology, and culture.

Human divergence will always exist –

But just as the EU seeks balance in diversity, and China pursues win-win outcomes through reform,

The power of civilization will always find new growing points in the cracks of divergence.

Deglobalization is just a temporary cold spell; cooperation is the spring of history.

The world is changing, but the power of "dialogue" and "understanding" has never disappeared.

The 6700-kilometer journey has ended, but another, longer journey –

The journey of understanding, trust, and joint construction –

Has just begun.

Postscript

On my last night in Budapest, I stood by the Danube, watching the night sky reflected on the golden dome of the Parliament building.

At that moment, I thought: the river is great because it never refuses its tributaries.

The world is no different —

when we learn to embrace, understand, and build together,

true globalization will arrive once more.