At a University of Hong Kong seminar, former US diplomat Klein stated that China's hopes for Europe to pivot toward Beijing amid deteriorating US-EU ties are misplaced. He highlighted Brussels' core task of navigating US-China rivalry while seeking balance between the two.
On Monday, Klein addressed a seminar at the University of Hong Kong, where he serves as a non-resident fellow at the Centre on Contemporary China and the World and as a partner at consultancy FGS Global. He noted detecting "some hope in China over the past several years that, as Europe’s relations with the United States deteriorate, maybe this is an opening [for Beijing]." "Maybe Europe will see China as a partner and potentially, even a counterweight to the United States," Klein added. However, he dismissed these hopes as inaccurate, stating, "Expecting Europe to fundamentally shift how it engages China is not going to happen."
Klein explained that while Washington's unpredictable policies are unsettling the EU, China's image within the bloc is also deteriorating, largely due to its trade policies and perceived support for Russia during its invasion of Ukraine. The Greenland crisis, likely referencing Donald Trump's annexation plans, is unlikely to realign the EU toward China, he said. Brussels' core challenge remains navigating US-China rivalry, balancing issues like Chinese electric vehicles and the Ukraine conflict. EU leaders such as Ursula von der Leyen must maintain equilibrium between Washington and Beijing.
This perspective underscores current geopolitical tensions, with EU-China ties strained by trade disputes and the Ukraine war.
