EU's Contradictory Narratives on China: Trade Cooperation vs. Security Threat
The article analyzes the dual and contradictory definitions of EU-China relations emerging in mid-2025. Economically, the EU and China agreed on a new definition as 'stable and balanced key trading partners' and launched a trade and investment consultation mechanism (TIC) to manage tensions and prevent a trade war. Multiple meetings and negotiations are scheduled, including a second round of TIC in Beijing. However, simultaneously, the European Council's updated strategic assessment describes China as 'a critical long-term strategic challenge' and a 'crucial enabler for Moscow' in the Ukraine conflict, marking a hardening of security perceptions. The EU has also sanctioned China-based companies linked to Russia's military-industrial complex. The article questions whether these two divergent definitions—economic partnership and strategic threat—can coexist, highlighting the complexity of the relationship amid the Russia-Ukraine war.
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