Why Europe must end its strategic drift by working with China
As the United States grows
more unpredictable under President Donald Trump, some European nations are considering a
pragmatic partnership with China . Could this lead to a new triangular balance, or will it deepen Europe's isolation?
Under a second Trump presidency, Europe finds itself caught in a geopolitical no man's land. Washington's
increasingly erratic foreign policy , Russia's protracted
invasion of Ukraine and the failure to craft a unified European Union strategy towards either Russia or China have left the continent adrift.
If trust in Russia and its President Vladimir Putin is irreparably damaged and the US proves too volatile a partner, Europe could soon be forced to reconsider its global alignments. The question is not whether to choose between
Washington and Beijing but how to reassert strategic agency in a rapidly shifting world order.
Despite the potential appeal of closer
EU-China ties – from economic diversification to diplomatic leverage – Europe is hesitating. The default response has been inward retreat rather than outward recalibration. The EU had an opportunity to hedge its risks by deepening ties with Beijing, thereby regaining leverage with the US while securing alternative markets, yet no such move materialised.
That hesitation has come at a cost. Europe now finds itself increasingly alone, struggling to articulate a coherent alternative to
reliance on the US . With Trump back in the White House, the EU must decide whether continued strategic drift is tenable.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
5 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Xi urges Communist Party to learn from pioneer of China's economic planning
Chinese President Xi Jinping urged the ruling Communist Party to learn from the legacy of early party figure Chen Yun – a pioneer of China's economic planning – in remarks on Friday to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the late statesman's birth. Advertisement Xi called on the party to have unwavering confidence when facing 'chaotic and complex turbulence', and to strengthen its ability to cut a path for China's economy with 'objective and thorough' research, according to state news agency Xinhua. The party is preparing for an annual conclave, to be held later this year, focusing on the next five-year plan covering 2026–2030 . The national economic development plan will serve as a blueprint to sharpen China's competitive edge and address weak links exposed in its rivalry with the United States. Xi made the remarks at a meeting in Beijing to mark the anniversary of Chen's birth in 1905. China's ruling party typically commemorates the birthdays of revolutionary elders every 10 years. Modern leaders often weave their policy priorities into their commemoration speeches as a way to rally the party and draw inspiration from the elder statesman's political legacy. Advertisement
South China Morning Post
5 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
EU warns of ‘deterioration of fundamental freedoms' in China during human rights talks
During thorny human rights talks with China on Friday, the European Union voiced concerns about what it called a 'deterioration of fundamental freedoms' in the country. The EU cited 'government interference' in the succession plan for the Dalai Lama , an ongoing crackdown in Hong Kong, and jailed Uygur and Tibetan activists as examples in its statement on the 40th edition of the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue in Brussels. The bloc accused China of 'persistent restrictions on freedom of expression, religion or belief, peaceful assembly, and the right to equality and non-discrimination'. The bloc also called attention to what it said was an 'erosion of the rule of law, due process rights violations and the lack of judicial independence' as well as the 'use of forced labour and labour transfer programmes'. In its statement, published on Saturday, the EU said that 'the selection of religious leaders should happen without government interference and in accordance with religious norms, including for the succession of the Dalai Lama'.
South China Morning Post
7 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
India on path to weapons self-sufficiency but still lags behind China: experts
As India embarks on its path to self-sufficiency in modern weapons production to shore up its defence clout, its military inventory may have already surpassed arch rival Pakistan's, but still lags behind China. The drive is marked by New Delhi's latest bid to acquire the Rs 30,000 crore (US$3.6 billion) Indigenous Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile (QRSAM) system, after it fended off Turkish-origin drones and Chinese-made missiles launched by Pakistan last month at the height of clashes. The proposal for three QRSAM regiments is expected to be reviewed by the Ministry of Defence in a coming meeting of the defence acquisition council set for later this month, according to Indian news agency ANI. Foreign-affairs specialist Robinder Sachdev, founder and president of Delhi-based think tank Imagindia Institute, says the QRSAM system is a critical addition to India's layered air defence network, developed indigenously by the Defence Research and Development Organisation. 'Following the waves of Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drones and Chinese-origin Wing Loong-II UCAVs deployed by Pakistan, India is investing in capabilities that offer rapid mobility, autonomous response, and indigenous sustainability,' Sachdev said. India's defence procurement now centred on indigenisation, Sachdev said, adding it was estimated that in the financial year 2024–25, more than 65 per cent of defence capital procurement contracts were awarded to domestic vendors.
