Opinion | EU is too important, diplomatically and economically, for China to neglect relations

Two concepts have increasingly taken centre stage in geopolitical discussions around the European Union. The first is “strategic autonomy”, the second, “de-risking”.

There was much fanfare around the first, following French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to China in April. It centred on the notion that Europe would rise above the fray of US-China tensions and embrace Macron’s calls for an EU that puts European interests first and takes the side of neither the United States nor China.

Such hopes were swiftly dashed. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has triggered in European countries – especially small and medium-sized former Soviet states – a heightened sense of concern over national security and collective European defiance.

Many have come to painfully realise the costs of relying too heavily on Russia for oil and gas. This has given rise to the notion of de-risking – a vague term, invoked by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, which broadly gestures at the need to reduce European dependence on foreign actors across strategically sensitive sectors while falling short of full decoupling.

This world view reflects the increasing strain in Sino-European relations. This has been amplified by the efforts of the US and its allies to curb China’s technological progress and shore up security in the Indo-Pacific.