China–Poland relations

China–Poland relations

China	Poland
Diplomatic mission
Embassy of China, Warsaw	Embassy of Poland, Beijing

Relations between the People's Republic of China and Poland officially began on October 5, 1949.^[1][2]

Contact between the Polish and Chinese people date back several centuries. In the mid-17th century, notable Polish Jesuit missionaries Michał Boym and Jan Mikołaj Smogulecki arrived to China. Boym significantly expanded the knowledge of China in Europe with his works, among which were the pioneering botany book Flora Sinensis^[5] and detailed maps of China.^[3][4] He also introduced Chinese medicine in Europe, including the analysis of the pulse.^[5] Smogulecki taught European mathematics and astronomy in China, and introduced logarithms to China.^[6] Both Boym and Smogulecki had contacts with the Imperial Court of China.^[4][6]

In the 17th century, there were diplomatic approaches between the courts of John III Sobieski and the Kangxi Emperor. Relations between the Polish King John III Sobieski and the Chinese Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty were the first official diplomatic contacts between Poland and China after the Battle of Vienna (1683). After defeating Turkey, John III Sobieski sent his portrait to the Emperor of China and also commissioned the Polish Jesuits stationed at the Emperor's court to provide the Polish King with all the valuable information about the organization of the Emperor's court and the Chinese Empire. This stemmed from the fact that the Polish King was deeply impressed by Chinese power and sought a strong ally. Seeking allies against Turkey, Sobieski sent an embassy to Beijing, to which the Emperor responded by sending gifts, including a valuable porcelain set, elements of which are preserved at the Łańcut Castle Museum. After the victory at Vienna in 1683, John III Sobieski was building an international anti-Turkish coalition. The embassy aimed to establish relations with China, which was also engaged in warfare at the time, potentially binding Russian forces (an ally of Turkey). Letters and gifts were sent to the court of Emperor Kangxi. Although the direct correspondence has not survived in its entirety, this gesture is considered the beginning of Polish-Chinese diplomacy.^[7] The Chinese Emperor Kangxi honored the Polish king by sending him luxurious, high-quality porcelain. Many of these gifts became part of the collection at Łańcut Castle and constitute unique evidence of John III Sobieski's far-reaching diplomacy. Sobieski ran his own collection of Chinese art in his Wilanów palace.^[8]

In the 1820s and 1830s, Polish physician Józef Wojciechowski was active in Beijing, and became renown for successfully curing a prince from the imperial court deemed incurably ill by local doctors, for which he was honoured with a memorial in Beijing in 1829.^[9]

In the late 19th century and early 20th century, when Poland remained partitioned and occupied by neighbouring powers, thousands of Polish emigrants, including engineers, architects, doctors, teachers, many of them political refugees, settled in Manchuria and greatly contributed to the foundation and development of the Chinese Eastern Railway and the city of Harbin.^[10] The founder and first mayor of Harbin was Polish engineer Adam Szydłowski.^[11] The city's layout was planned by Polish engineer Stanisław Jokisz, and other Polish engineers were also responsible for its construction.^[10] Poles established a prosperous and influential community in the city, with Polish press, schools, organizations, churches^[11] (including the present-day Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral) and sports teams, and peacefully co-existed with the city's other ethnicities including the Chinese.^[10] Many Poles were employed at the Chinese Eastern Railway, which was managed at the time by Polish railway engineer Stanisław Kierbedź.^[10] Tadeusz Nowkuński was the head physician of the central hospital of the Chinese Eastern Railway, active in fighting the plague and cholera epidemics in Manchuria.^[12] Poles introduced sugar beet cultivation to China and established the country's first brewery,^[10] now known as the Harbin Brewery. Poles also established the first steam mills, metallurgical plants, and furniture and cigarette factories in Manchuria.^[10] Several Polish writers, including Teodor Parnicki, Edward Kajdański^[13] and Kazimierz Grochowski, were either born or spent part of their childhood or adulthood in Harbin, before eventually moving to Poland, where they popularized knowledge about China and East Asia.

China and Poland share similar historical experiences and a long struggle for independence. Most of the same great powers that recognized China's colonization also recognized Poland's partitions at the same time. Both Józef Piłsudski and Sun Yat-sen held similar roles in the histories of their nations, operating at a similar time (the turn of the 19 and 20th century), though in completely different geographic areas. Both were political leaders who sought independence for their countries using revolutionary methods. In 1913, Józef Piłsudski, the leader of the later reborn Poland, received a response from Shanghai that Sun Yat-sen is readiness for Polish-Chinese cooperation against Tsarist Russia. Józef Piłsudski's brother, Bronisław Piłsudski, wrote in a letter to American journalist George Kenan that he had not only met Sun Yat-sen personally but also maintained friendly relations with him.^[14][15] In 1918 Poland regained independence after the partitions period, and diplomatic relations between China and Poland began in 1919. A friendship, trade and navigation treaty between China and Poland was signed in Nanjing in 1929 to strengthen and evolve the relations.^[16] Ludwik Rajchman, a Polish physician and bacteriologist, was an advisor to Chiang Kai-shek and T. V. Soong.^[17] The Polish community in Harbin remained strong, until many Poles gradually left for Poland in the 1930s, and the remaining Poles were mostly repatriated by the Polish government in 1949.^[10] However, special bonds connected the city's Polish and Chinese residents. Poles were characterized by an open attitude and a willingness to integrate into Chinese society. They often formed friendships with Chinese citizens from an early age, and even Polish-Chinese marriages occurred. This often gave them the opportunity to become intimately familiar with Chinese culture, including the language and traditions, even as young children. These bonds were also strengthened by shared participation in religious ceremonies. The mutual provision of services and the lively trade between members of the Polish community in Harbin and the Chinese were also significant.

Polish residents of Harbin also played a significant role in the creation of the so-called Lytton Report, a document that stated that Manchukuo was not a sovereign state, as Japan claimed. On May 9, 1932, at the "Polish Inn," members of a special United Nations commission met with representatives of the Polish diaspora. The Poles informed the diplomats that the Japanese actions were inconsistent with international law, and their testimony proved to be crucial in the matter and influenced the commission's decision not to recognize Manchukuo. Meanwhile, three of the four Poles defending Hong Kong were from Harbin. There were never any acts of collaboration by members of the Polish community in Harbin, and the attitude of Poles toward the Japanese occupiers was decidedly unfavorable. Poles living in Harbin openly referred to the situation as an occupation. Poles living in Harbin frequently supported their Chinese neighbors during these difficult times. The activities of the Polish post in Harbin ended tragically, as its members were killed by the Japanese in 1941.^[18]

The Chinese who fought for Poland was Chen De-fu, born in Dalian, Manchuria. At the age of seven, he lost his parents and was left without care. Polish captain Kazimierz Skorotkiewicz helped the young Chinese by taking him into his care and bringing him to Poland. Chen De-fu participated in the Greater Poland Uprising, and a year later, he volunteered for General Józef Haller's army and fought in the Polish-Soviet War.^[19]

Very few Chinese people lived in Poland in the interwar period, including four in Warsaw, and one each in Ciechanów, Brześć and Nieśwież, according to the 1921 Polish census.^[20][21][22] During World War II, some 13 ethnic Chinese from Warsaw were deported by the German occupiers to the Gross-Rosen concentration camp in 1944.^[23]

During World War II, China and Poland were allies, with both the Chinese government and the Polish government-in-exile having signed the United Nations Declaration. On September 12, Chiang Kai-shek sent a telegram to Guo Taiqi, the Chinese ambassador to Great Britain, and Gu Weijun, the ambassador to France, instructing them to convey the message that "from now on, China, together with Poland, Great Britain and France, will fight in Asia and Europe, resisting aggression and showing true friendship and solidarity." Chiang Kai-shek clarified his position on the European war: "In general, our country sympathizes with attacked Poland and supports the position of a member state of the League of Nations".^[24] Although Poland fought against Germany, and China fought against Japan, Poles were not indifferent to the struggles of the Chinese and saw similarities in their fates.^[25] In 1941, Poland declared war on Japan (and China declared war on Germany), and a year later in 1942 during the stay of Marshal Chiang Kai-shek in Bombay, representatives of the Polish delegation as well as the Polish Relief Committee paid him a visit. The Poles presented Marshal Chiang Kai-shek with a memorandum in which they praised the heroism of the defenders of China and assured the Marshal that the Poles would fight alongside the Chinese until tyranny is crushed and freedom is restored to the nations that have lost it. Chiang Kai-shek was captivated by the struggle of the Poles and expressed his gratitude for the memorandum.^[26] The strengthening of relations between China and Poland within the framework of the alliance against the Axis powers led to the elevation of the Polish legation in Chongqing to the status of an embassy, and Alfred Poniński became the first ambassador, holding the post until July 1945.^[27] General Władysław Sikorski met with the Chinese ambassador and the Chinese foreign minister. During their conversation, the idea of establishing a Polish air force to fight the Japanese in China emerged. Among the Polish volunteers fighting in defense of China was the renowned pilot Witold Urbanowicz, who after fighting the Germans in Europe, decided to go to Asia to fight the Japanese. In his diary, Urbanowicz wrote that the German and Japanese regimes were one and the same evil, so it didn't matter to him where he was in the world; he simply wanted to help those in need. Another example of a Pole who fought to defend China was Lieutenant Colonel Włodzimierz Szymankiewicz, who fought against the Japanese aggressors in northeastern China. Szymankiewicz fought alongside the Chinese army and, together with his Chinese comrades, captured seven Japanese soldiers. In one battle, he was severely wounded and lost consciousness. He later learned that he had been rescued by local Chinese who had taken him from the battlefield and provided him with medical care.^[28]

After World War II, China and Poland again found themselves on the same side of the political stage. Relations between the newly founded People's Republic of China and the Polish People's Republic began on October 5, 1949, and diplomatic missions were established shortly after on October 7, 1949. Poland, a part of the Communist Bloc, had friendly relations with China and both countries cooperated in international issues such as the Korean War.^[2]

In 1951, China and Poland established Chipolbrok "Chinese-Polish Shipbrokers' Company" based on an agreement between Poland and China to establish a sea connection between Chinese and Polish ports. The governments of Poland and China, represented by the ministers of transport of both countries, hold 50% of the shares each. Chipolbrok is the oldest Chinese deep-sea shipowner and the first enterprise with foreign capital in the People's Republic of China.. Its establishment enabled the then-isolated China to develop a transportation network connecting it with the global trade and services market. The naval alliance between the People's Republic of Poland and the People's Republic of China between 1950 and 1957 brought the Middle Kingdom numerous benefits, contributing to the break of the naval blockade and strengthening its position in the Far East. The Poles also made no secret of their satisfaction with the results of their cooperation with the Chinese. It undoubtedly enhanced their prestige among the Eastern Bloc countries and resulted in China's support for Władysław Gomułka's new government. The company is still operating and remains a symbol of Polish-Chinese friendship and cooperation.^[29]

The Eastern Bloc countries were dependent on the Soviet political line, so bilateral relations were significantly limited and deteriorated during the Sino-Soviet split. However, when China appealed for the permanent seat on the UN Security Council, then held by Republic of China, based in Taiwan, to be transferred to the government of mainland China, Poland decided to express its own opinion and supported their position.^[2]

Zhou Enlai, the Premier of China, paid two state visits to Poland. Polish communist leaders, including Bolesław Bierut, Edward Ochab and Józef Cyrankiewicz also made multiple visits to China.^[1]

In 1956, fears in Poland grew of an armed intervention by the Soviet Union, the leadership of which was alarmed by the events of the Gomułka thaw. The Chinese leadership opposed the plan of an intervention in Poland, believing Gomułka's reforms to be justified. China's protest weakened Nikita Khrushchev's stance on Poland and helped avert an armed confrontation. The support from China strengthened Gomułka's position in the Communist Bloc and reinforced his efforts to pursue more autonomy from the Soviet Union. China promoted the idea of a “national path to socialism,” which aligned with Gomułka's reformist course and made it possible to move away from Stalinism without breaking away from the Communist Bloc altogether. Both countries were united by their dissatisfaction with the fact that the Soviet Union was trying to impose its "one true vision of socialism" on them, which was intended to serve as a tool of control.^[30]

In 1989 Communism in Europe fell, and Poland underwent widespread democratization and market-oriented economic reform. At this time, China was also becoming more market-driven, largely as a result of the economic reforms of Deng Xiaoping.^[2] The newly formed Third Polish Republic chose to align itself with the West, joining NATO in 1999, and the European Union in 2004.^[31] Despite this, relations between Poland and China remained steadfast throughout the 2000s.^[2]

In 2016, general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, Xi Jinping visited Poland,^[32][33] where he claimed that "Polish companies will benefit hugely" from China's Belt and Road Initiative.^[34] Duda and Xi signed a joint declaration on strategic partnership in which they reiterated that Poland and China viewed each other as long-term strategic partners.^[35]

On November 6, 2019, an exhibition dedicated to China's resistance to Japanese aggression opened at the Museum of the Second World War in Poland. The exhibition aimed to present World War II from a Chinese perspective, and primarily from the perspective of the Chinese population. A key element of the exhibition were graphics and illustrations by Chinese artists who created during the Japanese occupation of China from 1937 to 1945, depicting its atrocities. The exhibition was organized in cooperation with the Museum of Chinese Resistance to Japanese Aggression in Beijing. The exhibition opening was attended by Consul General Wang Qingshan, Director of the Museum of Chinese Resistance to Japanese Aggression Li Zongyuan, and other representatives of the delegation from Chinese institutions. During the opening, Karol Nawrocki, Director of the Museum of the Second World War and future President of Poland, emphasized the significance of the conflict for both nations and the similar historical experiences that strongly connect Poland and China. Nawrocki expressed respect and said that Poland remembers that China fought against the Empire of Japan, the main ally of Nazi Germany, and therefore an ally of a sate that was a mortal enemy of Poland. Chinese representatives attending the meeting also expressed respect for Poland for fighting against the Axis bloc. During the meeting, Poles and Chinese recognized that their common historical experiences could allow them to learn from each other and avoid such events in the future. Both institutions, the Museum of Chinese Resistance to Japanese Aggression and the Polish Museum of the Second World War, strive to preserve the achievements and legacy of suffering in order to disseminate knowledge among both nations.^[36]

In January 2019, The Internal Security Agency (ABW) detained a Polish man and a Chinese man suspected of espionage collaboration. The detained Pole was an employee of Orange Polska and a former officer of the Polish secret services, while the detained Chinese man was a director at Huawei's Polish headquarters. The situation was reported by the Deputy Minister-Coordinator of the Secret Services. The court ordered the suspects to be detained for three months. The Pole and the Chinese were charged with "working for foreign intelligence". The Chinese company issued a statement about the release of the arrested person.^[37][38]

On September 12, 2025, Polish government closed all border crossings with Belarus, citing security concerns related to Russian-Belarusian military exercises. This significantly weakened the key transport corridor from China to Europe through Poland, and China launched alternative route. The alternative route could cost Poland approximately $200 million annually in transit fees, VAT, and excise duties on goods (which are currently processed in Germany). Małaszewice could lose its key position as a major hub, and rail transport (which accounts for 3.7% of China-EU trade) is of strategic importance to the economy. The closure of the railway crossing was met with strong criticism from Polish right-wing circles, who claimed that the pro-EU government of Donald Tusk was acting under the sway of German interests and inconsistent with the Polish national interest, and that the alleged "security concerns" were sabotage aimed at weakening Polish-Chinese cooperation and excluding Poland from the Chinese economic project in Europe to the benefit of Germany. They also criticized the earlier actions of Civic Platform representatives, who supported anti-subsidy tariffs on Chinese electric cars in the European Parliament, arguing that the same pro-EU party that supported the tariffs somehow has nothing against Germany doing business with China. The polish-chinese railway crossing reopened after a temporary closure and consultations of representatives of both countries. The Chinese side ignored Minister Radosław Sikorski and his provocative comments, stating that consultations with President Karol Nawrocki would bring positive results that would benefit both sides.^[39] Chinese media showing only the meeting with the Polish president and completely ignored Minister Sikorski, whom many Polish commentators have considered to be a man who is trying to ruin good Polish-Chinese relations and is doing so in the interest of foreign influence, because from the perspective of Polish interests, as well as the long-standing Polish-Chinese friendship, his irrational and senseless actions arouse suspicion and bring no benefits to Poland. Jacek Ozdoba, a politician from Sovereign Poland, submitted a request to the Internal Security Agency (ABW) to have Minister Sikorski verified, claiming that his behavior was incomprehensible and harmful to Polish international relations.^[40][41] On September 25, the railway crossing was reopened.^[42][43]

In March 2026, Polish politician Grzegorz Braun, during his speech at the conference "Sovereign Policy of Central European States", publicly addressed the Chinese ambassador, Cai Ge, who was present in the room, with the words: "I bow to you, Mr. Ambassador," and then told him: "I am extremely happy and satisfied that China exists on this planet. Because China has the ability to influence the fate of the world by its very existence." The Polish politician delivered a radical speech titled "Brussels or Bratislava?", in which he called on the gathered Eurosceptics to openly cooperate with China, as well as to overthrow the European Union and Ursula von der Leyen, whom he called "Reichsführer", comparing the German President of the European Commission to the commander-in-chief of the SS formation in Nazi Germany.^[44][45]

Well-known Polish publicist, political and economic commentator, Łukasz Warzecha, frequently discusses China in his articles, focusing on economic relations, geopolitics, and the Chinese automotive industry. Key themes in his articles include the Chinese automotive industry. Warzecha expresses admiration for the development of the Chinese automotive industry, believing that Chinese electric cars are "a different story," superior in quality and technology compared to their European counterparts, and that European policy towards them is weak. He also negatively assessed the administrative methods used to combat Chinese cars and the introduction of a ban on the entry of Chinese-made cars into military units, as well as other cars equipped with intelligent systems that enable, among other things, the recording of their surroundings. He claims that no detailed justification for this decision was provided. All that is known is that it concerns the threat of "uncontrolled acquisition of information". The publicist, whose specialization is the topic of China, stated that he would greatly appreciate a comprehensive, book-length analysis of the motivations behind such decisions, which he considers populist, often downright detrimental and emotionally charged to gain the favor of interest groups for which the Chinese economy constitutes serious competition and threatens their position in the global market. He stated that the recent actions towards China are a dangerous game that will ultimately bring serious consequences. Łukasz Warzecha positively assessed Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to Poland in 2025, pointing out that China is a very important partner and that the talks have yielded concrete results for Polish producers.^[46][47][48]

During the 1950s to 1990s, the two countries conducted economic activities using accounts on government agreements. Their annual trade valued nearly US$1 billion in 1986.^[2]

In the 1990s, an agreement on trade payments in convertible foreign exchanges was signed. In 1990, trade dipped from US$0.322 billion to US$0.144 billion in 1991. Bilateral trade began to increase again in 1992.^[2]

Trade between Poland and China increased significantly over the years. By 2001, the trade between the two countries was valued at US$1.242 billion, up 29.5% from 2000.^[2]

The countries' economic relations revolve primarily around environmental protection, finance, agricultural technology, and the copper and coal industries.^[49] It has also recently started to include high technology, clean energy, labour, services and infrastructure.^[49][50]

In 2008, Poland's exports to China totaled approximately US$1 billion,^[51] and its imports from China amounted to about US$11 billion.^[51]

• China has an embassy in Warsaw.
• Poland has an embassy in Beijing and consulates-general in Chengdu, Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

• 
  Embassy of China in Warsaw
• 
  Embassy of Poland in Beijing
• 
  Consulate-General of Poland in Guangzhou

• Poles in China
• Foreign relations of China
• Foreign relations of Poland

• Polish embassy in Beijing (in English, Polish, and Chinese)
• PRC embassy in Warsaw (in Polish and Chinese)