EU shifting tone of stance on China as it prepares for frictions with US

As the European Union braces for rocky ties with its ally the United States, its top official has left the door open for a thaw in relations with China.

For the second time in a fortnight, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen – seen as the continent’s most prominent China hawk – said there was space to deepen trade ties and even “find agreements” with Beijing, in “an era of hyper-competitive and hyper-transactional geopolitics”.

“We will keep de-risking our economic relationship – as we have been doing in recent years. But there is also room to engage constructively with China – and find solutions in our mutual interest,” von der Leyen said in a speech before the EU’s diplomatic corps in Brussels.

“I think we can find agreements that could even expand our trade and investment ties. It is a fine line that we need to walk. But it can lead us to a fairer and more balanced relationship with one of the world’s economic giants. And that can make sense for Europe,” she continued.

The speech represents a significant softening in tone from the European Commission, forced by what von der Leyen described as “this hot-headed world” following the return of US President Donald Trump to the White House.

For the past four years, she has steered the EU on a more assertive direction on China, vowing to tackle Beijing’s trade imbalances and penalise it for providing support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.