In recent times, there has been a noticeable and quite expected intensification of contacts at various levels between China and Europe. Europe is engaging both as a supranational structure and through its individual member states.
Preliminary Observations
First, it is worth emphasizing that in recent years China and the EU have become some of each other’s principal trading partners. In 2023, their bilateral trade in goods reached 739 billion USD, but for the EU, this resulted in a deficit of 292 billion USD. This second point, a serious concern for Europeans, is one of the key issues in their relationship with China. A similar problem exists in US-China relations and served as one of the central motivations for Donald Trump’s initiation of the “tariff war.”
But this is not the only challenge in EU-China relations. For roughly a decade, Brussels has pushed back against what is often referred to as “Chinese shopping sprees,” during which major European companies — especially those specializing in high-tech — face the threat of being acquired by Chinese investors. In the last year or two, an additional concern has emerged: the risk that the European market could be saturated with relatively inexpensive Chinese products in advanced sectors such as electric vehicles, solar panels, wind turbines, and more.
Thus, it is not simply (or even primarily) Europe’s alignment with Washington that leads Brussels to erect barriers to deeper trade and economic ties with Beijing. The EU’s own strategic concerns play a major role. These same concerns also limit the extent to which Europe can pursue an overtly anti-American course by stepping up its engagement with China. For now, such gestures seem more symbolic than substantive, lacking firm policy backing and with uncertain prospects.
Что же касается мотивов активизации политики Китая на европейском направлении, то для него, наряду с тем же антиамериканского плана маневрированием, возрастающую важность приобретает фактор конкурентной борьбы за влияние на Европу с другим ведущими азиатскими игроками, каковыми являются Индия и Япония. China, for its part, is increasing its engagement with Europe not only as a counterweight to the United States but also as part of its broader competition with other major Asian powers — namely, India and Japan — for influence in Europe.
Recent China-Europe Engagements
A notable series of large-scale events took place in early May in China to mark the 50th anniversary of official diplomatic relations between Beijing and Brussels. Several important statements were made. At a reception on May 6, Chinese Vice President Han Zheng told the European delegation that there were “no fundamental clashes of interest or geopolitical contradictions, which makes us partners who can support each other’s success.”
He also called for “deeper cooperation, the constructive resolution of trade and economic disputes, and joint efforts to uphold multilateral trade rules and order.” The final point in particular reflected a shared unease about recent developments. In the EU’s case, this was underscored by a revealing editorial in the Global Times.
The EU delegation in Beijing also held a commemorative event, attended by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying. This was held in conjunction with the 75th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration, widely considered the starting point of Europe’s integration process. The date of the declaration (May 9) is now celebrated as Europe Day.
Meanwhile, a trade fair was held in May under the China–Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) framework, featuring products from over 400 companies partnering with China. After the withdrawal of the three Baltic states, the CEEC now includes 14 countries from Central and Eastern Europe. What stood out this time, however, was the participation of companies from two of the EU’s core members — Germany and France — as well as from the United Kingdom. This is notable given that Brussels had until recently viewed the CEEC framework with considerable suspicion, seeing it as a potential source of division within the continent.
Also worth noting is that in late May, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron held online meetings with China’s President Xi Jinping. During his conversation with Merz, President Xi stated that “China is ready to work with Germany to open a new chapter in the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.”
Finally, it is worth pointing out that the current situation only partly supports the common narrative that China’s flagship international project, the Belt and Road Initiative, is primarily “aimed at Europe.” Increasingly, Africa and Latin America are taking center stage in this effort. In particular, a ministerial-level meeting was held in May in Beijing within the China–CELAC framework (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States), where President Xi Jinping delivered a speech. This event, however, deserves separate analysis.
Final Reflections
First and foremost, it should be noted that the long-emerging radical transformation of the global order has sharply accelerated as a result of Donald Trump’s “tariff war.” As with any period of transition, this has brought a wave of heightened uncertainty into the international arena. In response, all major global actors are actively seeking fallback options for repositioning themselves on the world stage. Some of these shifts, in fact, would have seemed rather unexpected until quite recently. The current reciprocal maneuvering between China and Europe can be counted among them.
There appear to be no serious obstacles preventing today’s “political” Europe from exploring fallback strategies in its relations with the other half of the continent — namely, Russia. This stands in contrast to the frequent speculation about the dawning of an era of “Great Wars,” once again centered in Europe. Against this backdrop, a surprisingly candid signal attributed to Ursula von der Leyen drew attention: that Brussels is supposedly “working to rebuild ties with Moscow.”
That signal, however, was soon overshadowed by Friedrich Merz’s high-profile misstep regarding the infamous “Taurus” missiles. Unfortunately, it triggered yet another wave of propaganda centered on the theme of an “inevitable war in Europe,” bolstered by selective readings of “history.”
It is difficult to shake the impression that this outcome is precisely what certain actors are striving to provoke — having, among other things, instigated the conflict in Ukraine.
Vladimir Terekhov, expert on the issues of the Asia-Pacific region
