This is the thirteenth chapter of the report “Is Europe waking up to the China challenge? How geopolitics are reshaping EU and transatlantic strategy.” Read the full report here.

While the United States and Europe were largely aligned in their approach toward China during the late Cold War and early post-Cold War years, the European Union (EU) has fallen behind the US shift from engagement to balancing. Although its policy toward Beijing has evolved considerably since 2019—and especially since 2023—moving steadily toward a firmer stance on China, the EU’s adjustment has been slower and more incremental. At the same time, persistent frictions between Brussels and successive US administrations over issues such as trade policy and Ukraine have complicated coordination.

Meanwhile, China’s increasingly assertive behavior—including unfair trade practices, support for Russia’s war in Ukraine, coercion in the Indo-Pacific, and efforts to reshape the international order along authoritarian lines—highlights the growing need for transatlantic action. If Europe and the United States want to effectively counter Beijing’s political influence and economic expansion, they will need to cultivate common policy principles—particularly in key domains such as trade and investment, technology, and security. Mapping existing areas of policy divergence and convergence can help decision-makers on both sides of the Atlantic strengthen cooperation.

Trade and investment

Technology

Security

Fellow

Zoltán Fehér

Nonresident Fellow

Global China Hub

Central Europe China

Report Nov 10, 2025

Recommendations for coordinating US-EU policy

By Zoltán Fehér, Valbona Zeneli

To effectively counter China, the United States should prioritize closer coordination with the EU in key areas: economic security, supply chains, anti-coercion, and strategic investment. Joint efforts on trade and investment, technology, and security will be crucial to ensure aligned US-EU action.

China Economy & Business

Report Nov 10, 2025

The geopolitical trends shaping the EU’s policies on China

By Zoltán Fehér, Valbona Zeneli

European policies on China are shaped by four major geopolitical trends: intensifying US-China competition, uncertainty about sustained US engagement in Europe and globally, China’s support for Russia’s war on Ukraine, and Beijing’s growing economic and technological challenge to the EU.

China Economy & Business

Report Nov 10, 2025

Navigating the complexity of European policymaking on China

By Zoltán Fehér, Valbona Zeneli

EU policymaking on China is complex not only in structure but also in practice. It unfolds across multiple layers of governance, where EU institutions and member states pursue overlapping—and at times conflicting—priorities, making strategic alignment toward Beijing a persistent challenge.

China Europe & Eurasia

The Global China Hub tracks Beijing’s actions and their global impacts, assessing China’s rise from multiple angles and identifying emerging China policy challenges. The Hub leverages its network of China experts around the world to generate actionable recommendations for policymakers in Washington and beyond.

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The Europe Center promotes leadership, strategies, and analysis to ensure a strong, ambitious, and forward-looking transatlantic relationship.

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Image: European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker meet with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (unseen) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, July 16, 2018. Ng Han Guan/Pool via REUTERS