Early warning sign: This week’s energy summit presages a difficult COP30
With the US and China disengaged from climate diplomacy, Europeans must step forward to fill the gap
China
6 May
Europa auf sich gestellt? Sicherheits- und Verteidigungspolitik in Umbruchszeiten
Die europäische Sicherheitspolitik befindet sich in einem fundamentalen Wandel. Die transatlantische Partnerschaft, einst Eckpfeiler europäischer Sicherheit, gerät durch eine veränderte US-amerikanische Außenpolitik zunehmend unter Druck
21 May
China im Fokus – Partner, Rivale, Bedrohung?
Die Beziehungen zur Volksrepublik China prägen maßgeblich die Außenpolitik der EU. Trotz strategischer Kooperationsansätze und Chinas Rolle als wichtigster Handelspartner der EU bestehen erhebliche Ungleichgewichte…
Multi-Pole-arity: How Poland can help Europe think big on China
Beijing’s economic policies are threatening European competitiveness and economic security at a time when Europe cannot afford to be vulnerable. Poland can use its growing leadership role in the EU to help guide the bloc’s response
14 Apr
Transatlantic Forum, 8th Edition – La competizione USA-Cina per la sicurezza tecnologica
Questa edizione del Transatlantic Forum vedrà il contributo di voci dal mondo accademico, dei think tank e del settore strategico, per discutere delle tensioni tra…
No time to drift: Trump, China, and the urgency of a stronger EU-Japan alignment
With an unpredictable US and a defiant China, the EU and Japan must deepen their alignment—fast. Strategic cooperation in defence, economic security and diplomacy is no longer optional; it’s essential to shaping, not just surviving, the new global order
Taiwan’s balancing act: Keeping the US in, China out, and domestic technology superior
Amid the global political turmoil, Taipei is aiming to keep Washington onside. But the arrival of the second Trump administration presents a parallel opportunity for Europe and Taiwan to deepen their cooperation in areas of mutual interest
Porcupine play: How Taiwan defends its democracy
Mark Leonard welcomes Camille Grand and Janka Oertel to unpack Taiwan’s strategic calculus amid rising global tensions, and Europe’s role in the Indo-Pacific
Seek deeper: Signs of China’s changing strategy towards European societies
Activities by Huawei and the Chinese authorities in Bulgaria suggest a more elaborate and all-embracing approach to engaging society
Britain’s risky re-engagement: Why its China policy could strain the EU-UK reset
British chancellor Rachel Reeves’s visit to Beijing over the weekend shows the Labour government’s willingness to re-engage with China. But this strategy could strain Britain’s relationship with the EU
Publications
Multi-Pole-arity: How Poland can help Europe think big on China
Beijing’s economic policies are threatening European competitiveness and economic security at a time when Europe cannot afford to be vulnerable. Poland can use its growing leadership role in the EU to help guide the bloc’s response
The idea of China
China’s ideas could become the country’s next big export. The Idea of China examines Chinese thinking about global order, AI, demographic change, and more – and considers how these ideas could influence the world
China and Ukraine: The Chinese debate about Russia’s war and its meaning for the world
Chinese thinkers are drawing four key lessons from Russia’s war on Ukraine, informing their views on: America, Russia, Taiwan, and economic interdependence with the West
Let a thousand contacts bloom: How China competes for influence in Bulgaria
China is expanding its presence in Bulgaria through a strategy of engagement with state and non-state actors. This has concerning implications in areas such as technology transfer, critical infrastructure, and public procurement
It’s complicated: Russia’s tricky relationship with China
The West does not have an opportunity to prompt a policy U-turn in Moscow that divides Russia and China. But it could give Russia space to hedge against China in key areas
Decade of patience: How China became a power in the Western Balkans
As European and US ambivalence towards the Western Balkans persists, the region will be in increasing danger of falling into an endless spiral of competition between various foreign actors
The new China consensus: How Europe is growing wary of Beijing
In its remaining months, the German Council presidency could use this momentum to create institutional structures to improve the EU’s capacity to act
The China dream goes digital: Technology in the age of Xi
Introduction François Godement Developments in the digital and artificial intelligence arenas in China have attracted so much hype abroad that…
Fear and loathing on the New Silk Road: Chinese security in Afghanistan and beyond
China’s priorities are shifting towards the containment of security threats in its region, and Europe should capitalise on this trend
The Trump opportunity: Chinese perceptions of the US administration
Four views from our authors on Chinese and Taiwanese views of the roots of Trump’s strategy and trade policy, and Chinese blind spots
Articles
Early warning sign: This week’s energy summit presages a difficult COP30
With the US and China disengaged from climate diplomacy, Europeans must step forward to fill the gap
No time to drift: Trump, China, and the urgency of a stronger EU-Japan alignment
With an unpredictable US and a defiant China, the EU and Japan must deepen their alignment—fast. Strategic cooperation in defence, economic security and diplomacy is no longer optional; it’s essential to shaping, not just surviving, the new global order
Taiwan’s balancing act: Keeping the US in, China out, and domestic technology superior
Amid the global political turmoil, Taipei is aiming to keep Washington onside. But the arrival of the second Trump administration presents a parallel opportunity for Europe and Taiwan to deepen their cooperation in areas of mutual interest
Seek deeper: Signs of China’s changing strategy towards European societies
Activities by Huawei and the Chinese authorities in Bulgaria suggest a more elaborate and all-embracing approach to engaging society
Britain’s risky re-engagement: Why its China policy could strain the EU-UK reset
British chancellor Rachel Reeves’s visit to Beijing over the weekend shows the Labour government’s willingness to re-engage with China. But this strategy could strain Britain’s relationship with the EU
Carbon diplomacy: How Europe can steer China’s climate path
Beijing is poised to make a pivotal decision that will shape global climate action for decades to come and directly affect European climate safety
From Brussels with leverage: How the EU is recalibrating its China strategy
By imposing tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, the European Commission has turned a corner on its relations with Beijing. To push back against an emboldened Brussels, Beijing will have to change tactics
Divided we stand: The EU votes on Chinese electric vehicle tariffs
The EU vote in favour of tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles has exposed divisions across EU member states on how to approach the challenges that China’s economic rise pose
Innovate, protect, and influence: The EU’s technology trilemma and how to solve it
As technological competition between the US and China grows, the EU’s next technology agenda needs to be more assertive to maximise its global influence
In the same boat: Why Taiwan is strengthening ties with central and eastern Europe
Based on the idea that Russia’s and China’s increasingly aggressive foreign policies are interrelated, Taipei is strengthening ties with central and eastern Europe
Specials
Mapping China’s rise in the Western Balkans
China is building up its influence in the Western Balkans through projects focused on everything from energy and infrastructure to culture, education, and media. If the European Union is to achieve its geopolitical goals in the region, it will need to understand the nature of competition with Beijing in all these areas
Podcasts
Porcupine play: How Taiwan defends its democracy
Mark Leonard welcomes Camille Grand and Janka Oertel to unpack Taiwan’s strategic calculus amid rising global tensions, and Europe’s role in the Indo-Pacific
The world after the West: Rana Mitter on China
In recent years, China has overtaken the United States as the largest trading partner of the Association for Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Not only has…
In:Sight China with Angela Zhang
Mark Leonard welcomes Angela Zhang to discuss China’s big tech regulation
The end of Germany’s China illusion with Janka Oertel
Mark Leonard welcomes Janka Oertel to discuss her new book “End of the China illusion” and the West’s biggest misconceptions about China
In:Sight China with Duan Jiuzhou
Mark Leonard welcomes Duan Jiuzhou to talk about China’s role in the MENA region
Rogue NATO: The new face of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
In this week’s episode, Jeremy Shapiro joins an all-star ECFR panel of experts to discuss the SCO summit’s geopolitical implications
Sino-Russian relations after the Kremlin’s attack on Ukraine
How is Russia’s attack on Ukraine perceived in China? Will Russia and China be joining forces in an ‘alliance of autocracies’? What does Russian and Chinese policymakers planning look like now – and what should Europeans do?
Events
21 May
China im Fokus – Partner, Rivale, Bedrohung?
Die Beziehungen zur Volksrepublik China prägen maßgeblich die Außenpolitik der EU. Trotz strategischer Kooperationsansätze und Chinas Rolle als wichtigster Handelspartner der EU bestehen erhebliche Ungleichgewichte…
6 May
Europa auf sich gestellt? Sicherheits- und Verteidigungspolitik in Umbruchszeiten
Die europäische Sicherheitspolitik befindet sich in einem fundamentalen Wandel. Die transatlantische Partnerschaft, einst Eckpfeiler europäischer Sicherheit, gerät durch eine veränderte US-amerikanische Außenpolitik zunehmend unter Druck
14 Apr
Transatlantic Forum, 8th Edition – La competizione USA-Cina per la sicurezza tecnologica
Questa edizione del Transatlantic Forum vedrà il contributo di voci dal mondo accademico, dei think tank e del settore strategico, per discutere delle tensioni tra…
22 Nov
China’s views in today’s changing global order
With increased US-China competition likely to shape Trump’s second term, significant attention in Washington is focused on the primacists, prioritisers and restrainers vying to shape…
24 Sep
EU sanctions for a conflict around Taiwan: What’s Europe’s leverage against China?
As the United States shifts its focus toward Southeast Asia and China, Europe faces a critical moment in evaluating its own approach to a potential…
17 Jul
Transizione energetica, tecnologia e geopolitica: quali scenari strategici per Europa & Italia?
La sfida tecnologica posta dalla transizione energetica è un fattore dirimente di competizione tra gli attori internazionali, con implicazioni critiche sul futuro assetto geoeconomico globale, come reso evidente dalle tensioni nelle relazioni commerciali tra Stati Uniti, Cina e Unione Europea. Allo stesso tempo, la proiezione esterna degli attori internazionali e lo sforzo di costruzione di nuove partnership e collaborazioni sono meccanismi essenziali per lo sviluppo di catene del valore resilienti
2 Jul
Economic Security 2.0: What is the EU’s next geoeconomics game plan?
As the European Union sets its new agenda, this webinar will delve into geoeconomics-related priorities for the incoming European Commission. Drawing on two new ECFR…
20 Jun
How to Manage Europe’s Green Technology Dependence on China: A Black Coffee Morning
As the global landscape shifts towards strategic rivalry between China and the advanced industrial economies of the West, Europe finds itself at a crossroads, needing…
23 May
Il circolo dell’ECFR – Corridoio IMEC: prospettive per Italia ed UE
Il tema di questa edizione de Il Circolo dell’ECFR sarà focalizzato sulle prospettive del corridoio IMEC come ponte economico tra Oriente ed Occidente
8 May
Rome Foreign Policy Club, Terza Edizione – Road to November 2024: prospettive e scenari globali delle elezioni americane
Nella sua edizione 2024, il Rome Foreign Policy Club riunisce giovani ricercatori italiani under 40 per costruire ipotesi di scenario che possano supportare la definizione di policy da parte del Ministero per gli Affari Esteri e la Cooperazione Internazionale. L’evento più significativo per l’anno in corso è indubbiamente rappresentato dalle elezioni americane di novembre il cui esito avrà enormi implicazioni su due aspetti cruciali del contesto internazionale: i rapporti con Cina e Sud Globale e le relazioni con Mosca alla luce del conflitto in Ucraina
In the media
Current trade talks with China are not necessarily about closer cooperation with Beijing, but rather about using this strategic moment of uncertainty to negotiate
Current trade talks with China are not necessarily about working closer with Beijing: they are rather about using this strategic moment of uncertainty to negotiate new conditions
