China and the Netherlands established chargé d'affaires-level diplomatic relations in November 1954, which were elevated to ambassadorial level in May 1972. In May 1981, due to the Dutch government's approval of a Dutch company's submarine sale to Taiwan, the diplomatic relations between the two countries were downgraded to chargé d'affaires level. On February 1, 1984, China and the Netherlands restored ambassadorial-level diplomatic relations. In March 2014, President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to the Netherlands, during which both sides agreed to upgrade the bilateral relationship to an "open and pragmatic partnership for comprehensive cooperation".
High-level exchanges between the two sides have been frequent. Notable visits from the Dutch side include: King Willem-Alexander visited China in 2015 and 2018. Prime Minister Rutte made an official visit to China in 2013, attended the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference in 2015, participated in the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference and made an official visit to China in 2018, and conducted working visits to China in June 2019 and March 2024. Notable visits from the Chinese side include: Premier Li Keqiang made an official visit to the Netherlands in October 2018. Vice President Wang Qishan and Vice President Han Zheng visited the Netherlands in May 2019 and May 2023, respectively. Foreign Minister Wang Yi paid an official visit to the Netherlands in August 2020.
In November 2022, President Xi Jinping met with Prime Minister Rutte during the G20 Bali Summit. Premier Li Qiang held phone conversations with Prime Minister Rutte in May 2023 and February 2024, and exchanged greetings with him during the G20 New Delhi Summit in September 2023.
In February 2023, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi met with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hoekstra on the margins of the 59th Munich Security Conference. In November 2023, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a phone call with Minister of Foreign Affairs Slot at the latter's request. On July 2, 2024, after the new Dutch government was sworn in, Premier Li Qiang sent a congratulatory message to Prime Minister Schoof, while Foreign Minister Wang Yi sent a congratulatory message to Minister of Foreign Affairs Veldkamp. On July 11, Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a phone conversation with Minister of Foreign Affairs Veldkamp at the latter's request. On September 26, Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Minister of Foreign Affairs Veldkamp during the UN General Assembly in New York.
The Netherlands is China's second-largest trading partner within the European Union. From January to September 2024, the bilateral trade volume between China and the Netherlands reached US$82 billion, marking a year-on-year decrease of 7.2%. Among them, China's exports amounted to US$68.1 billion, down by 10.9% compared to the previous year, while imports stood at US$13.9 billion, a year-on-year increase of 16.0%.
Culture: China and the Netherlands signed a cultural cooperation agreement in 1980, and cultural exchanges between the two sides have been active. The China Cultural Center in The Hague was officially inaugurated in November 2016. In June 2018, the two sides signed an MOU on cultural cooperation for 2018-2021 in The Hague. In November 2021, the first complete Dutch translation of the 120-chapter Dream of the Red Chamber was published in the Netherlands.
Education: Currently, there are approximately 10,000 Chinese students studying in the Netherlands. More than 20 Dutch higher education institutions have established long-term inter-university exchange relationships with Chinese universities. China has established two Confucius Institutes and 11 Confucius Classrooms at the University of Groningen and the Zuyd University of Applied Sciences.
Science and Technology: In 1999, China and the Netherlands signed an intergovernmental agreement on scientific and technological cooperation. In 2001, the science and technology departments of the two countries signed an MOU on scientific cooperation and exchanges, which was renewed in 2011. In September 2023, the first Joint Committee Meeting between China and Netherlands on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Cooperation was held in the Netherlands, during which the two sides signed an MOU on science, technology, and innovation cooperation.
Giant Panda Cooperation: In October 2015, during King Willem-Alexander's visit to China, the two sides signed an MOU on promoting cooperation in giant panda conservation. In April 2017, the giant pandas "Wu Wen" and "Xing Ya" arrived in the Netherlands and were introduced to the public in May of the same year. In May 2020, after "Wu Wen" gave birth to a cub named "Fan Xing", President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan exchanged congratulatory letters with King Willem-Alexander and his wife on this occasion. After friendly consultations, "Fan Xing" returned to China at the end of September 2023. In July 2024, "Wu Wen" gave birth to another cub.
Local Exchanges: To date, there are 31 pairs of sister cities and provinces between the two countries.
The Netherlands has consulates general in Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong. China has a consulate general in Willemstad, Curaçao, an overseas autonomous country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.