Can the European Parliament Repair Europe’s Broken China Policy?

As EU-China relations sink into mistrust, the European Parliament is attempting to reopen a political channel with Beijing. The question is whether Europe can move beyond bloc confrontation and recognize that engagement with China is not a concession but a strategic necessity in a changing world order.

The European Parliament Mission to Beijing: An Attempt to Repair Relations

The debate reflects a broader European dilemma: should China primarily be treated as a systemic rival, or as a complex partner with whom Europe must compete and cooperate at the same time? While some lawmakers argue for maintaining a tougher approach, others warn that excessive confrontation risks damaging European economic interests and limiting diplomatic space. The Socialists and Democrats, for example, have pushed for softer language, replacing descriptions of China as an almost exclusively negative actor with a more nuanced assessment of a “complex and challenging” relationship.

This internal European dispute has been intensified by the more confrontational tone adopted by parts of the EU’s foreign policy establishment. High Representative Kaja Kallas has taken an aggressive stance towards Beijing — comparing China to a cancer — contributing to an atmosphere in which dialogue has become increasingly difficult. The question now is whether the European Parliament can introduce a more pragmatic voice into a debate dominated by strategic competition and ideological positions of the Western bloc’s efforts to keep united.

Europe should not ignore China’s challenges, from trade imbalances to security concerns. But diplomacy cannot be built only around suspicion and aggressive statements. An accomplished European strategy requires recognising both risks and opportunities.

Beyond Ideology: What China Can Offer Europe

The European........

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