Geopolitical Europe Pulse: update on Europe, China, and the Indo-Pacific
16 August 2024
Summer holidays in Europe also slow down the foreign policy agenda: most official visits, summits and high-level meetings are postponed to the “back to school” period. However, a few developments of the last weeks related to Europe’s relations with China, and the European approach to the Indo-Pacific, might become relevant for Europe’s future approach to the region. Today’s edition of the Geopolitical Europe Pulse brings you an update on recent developments and background commentary.
Update on EU-China relations
Re-assessment: After adopting a “triple approach” on China as a partner, competitor and systemic rival in the 2019 EU-China strategic outlook, China’s support for Russia in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine prompt Europeans to reconsider their relationship with Beijing, as outlined in this article in the South China Morning Post.
Critical infrastructure is increasingly come in the focus of policy-makers on China, even more so after a report from China this week showed that a Hong Kong flagged ship by accident destroyed the Baltic gas pipeline between Estonia and Finland in autumn 2022. China Trends #20 - Critical Infrastructures and Power Games in EU-China Relations provides insights into China’s approach to critical infrastructure projects and their implications for Europe.
Long read: De-risking has become a central concept in the EU’s approach on China under EU Commission President von der Leyen, but many aspects of the implementation depend on the member states’ foreign policy. The European Think-tank Network on China (ETNC) has a comprehensive report on different European perspectives on de-risking.
Europeans in the Indo-Pacific
German defence minister Pistorius has travelled to the Indo-Pacific a few weeks ago, just after the Germany navy started its 2024 Indo-Pacific deployment. This intensification of German engagement can be seen as part of Germany’s search for a new geopolitical role, argues this piece in Table.Media.
Pacific Skies 2024: France, Germany, and Spain jointly deploy their airforces under the name “Pacific Skies 2024” to the Indo-Pacific. After participating in Australia’s Pitch Black exercise alongside more than 20 other states, the trilateral deployment will head to India for the Tarang Shakti exercise, a joint exercise with the Indian airforce. The joint press communiqué is available here.
What can Europeans actually do in the Indo-Pacific? Gabriele Visentin, EU ambassador to Australia and former EU Special Envoy for the Indo-Pacific, outlines the role of European countries and the EU in this interview with NZZ.