Why Europe’s China Anxiety Is About More Than China
The article argues that European anxiety over China extends far beyond trade imbalances, reflecting a deeper concern about China's challenge to the rules-based global order that Europe helped create. It highlights the EU's 2019 designation of China as a 'systemic rival' and notes that the 2025 EU-China trade surplus of 360 billion euros is widening. The analysis covers economic competition in key sectors like EVs and batteries, diplomatic tensions over governance models, and the EU's 'de-risking' strategy. It also examines China's growing influence in the Global South through forums like FOCAC and its promotion of sovereignty and non-interference norms, posing a paradox as China gains rule-making power while maintaining anti-hegemonic rhetoric.
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