Abstract
The 24 July 2025 EU-China Summit marked a watershed moment in bilateral relations, revealing unprecedented strain as the two sides commemorated 50 years of diplomatic ties. Moving beyond routine trade disputes, the summit highlighted profound divergences over economic security, geopolitical alignment, and models of global governance. Key issues included: the EU’s record trade deficit with China and mounting concerns over Chinese industrial overcapacity; escalating economic statecraft exemplified by Chinese rare earth export controls targeting European supply chain vulnerabilities; and deep strategic divides over Russia’s war in Ukraine. While both sides found common ground on climate cooperation, progress was largely tactical and insufficient to offset broader tensions. The summit underscored the evolution of the EU’s approach—viewing China more as a systemic rival and economic competitor than as a cooperative partner—and reinforced Europe’s commitment to “de-risking” through diversification and strategic autonomy. Ultimately, the summit illuminated a new equilibrium of managed strategic competition, with selective cooperation overshadowed by contestation in critical sectors and global governance. These dynamics suggest that future EU-China summits will serve less as vehicles for genuine problem-solving and more as platforms for negotiating an uneasy coexistence in an increasingly multipolar world.
