The Western world’s view of China has changed rapidly in the last 2-3 years. The most important factor leading to this is the United States of America’s (USA) increasing pressure on China, first through ‘trade wars’ and then through ‘Taiwan visits’. Driven by the fear of losing its global leadership, the US wants to see Europe on its side in its struggle to stop China. In this context, the US expects Europe’s support in trade transactions with China, information and technology security and relations with Taiwan. For this reason, Continental Europe has been trying to follow the policies of the US in recent years by reducing interdependence in its trade with China, ensuring communication security and increasing diplomatic contacts with Taiwan.
Western countries have recently found it difficult to harmonise their China policies. This is largely due to Russia’s war against Ukraine in 2022 and Beijing’s continued support for Moscow. However, China officially declares that it remains neutral in this war.[i] Therefore, Europe wants China to persuade Russia to end the war in Ukraine. Russia’s threat to use nuclear weapons and its insistence on continuing the war in Ukraine are issues that both Europe and China are uncomfortable with. Therefore, there is still a serious potential for co-operation between the West and China on these issues.
Because of these commonalities, there are still opportunities for Europe and China to build the future together. However, the China policies of the US and the UK have led to a change in the way continental Europe views China. In particular, France, which has millions of citizens and a large military presence in the Western Pacific, has made efforts to align itself with the US on China. For instance, France has frequently sent parliamentary delegations to Taiwan in recent years. Paris has also been calling for economic sanctions against China within the framework of the European Union (EU). Recently, France has also called for a more balanced relationship between China and the EU and stated that it had made ‘strategic mistakes’ in the past due to infrastructure transfers to China.[ii]
Despite France’s sensitive approach, China continues to emphasize dialogue and cooperation in its relations with Europe. For example, in a telephone conversation with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on 20 November 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that France should play a key role in the bloc to ensure the development of relations between the EU and China. Stating that they welcome the entry of French products into the Chinese market, Xi Jinping emphasised that they are willing to maintain high-level contacts with France.[iii] Despite this positive approach, French leader Emmanuel Macron called for fair competition for foreign companies in the Chinese market and took the opportunity to raise other regional and global issues of concern with his counterpart Xi Jinping.
Emmanuel Macron expressed his ‘deep concern’ about Russia-North-Korea military co-operation, saying that it could affect Russia’s war in Ukraine.[iv] The French leader also recalled Russia’s actions in Ukraine and its threat to use nuclear weapons and opened the door to co-operation with China on this issue. Combating climate change was another area of co-operation between the two countries. Xi Jinping reiterated his country’s determination to halt investment in coal-fired power plants and to reduce the use of coal energy. In return, Emmanuel Macron offered to provide technical assistance in low-carbon emission power plants, especially through nuclear energy. The two leaders also agreed to accelerate tourist and academic exchanges between France and China.
The US and the UK are sceptical about France’s intensifying contacts and maintaining a positive dialogue with China. To recall, Emmanuel Macron visited China in April 2023. In this regard, the London-based Reuters newspaper used the headline ‘Chinese President Xi, who is close to Macron, persuaded France to “oppose” the US’.[v] Leaving the UK’s point of view aside, it can be said that the US wants to continue its dialogue with China. Therefore, France’s contacts with China are actually similar to the US policies. However, there is still a possibility that Europe may diverge from the US in its China policies. In other words, the potential for Sino-European co-operation always exists, and it may not be as easy for the US to convince Europe on this issue as it is thought.
We can say that Europe, especially Germany, does not believe that China will be a real competitor. Recently, France has followed Germany’s views, meaning that it is still favourable to co-operation with China. Nevertheless, it is obvious that there is a confusion within the Western World regarding China policies. In short, European countries say that they will continue to cooperate economically with China, but they will avoid being dependent on China in critical trade items and technology, as they did in the case of Russia. Europe, which agrees to reduce economic dependence on China, also tries to hold the sanctions card in its hands when necessary, as the US does. In other words, in its relations with China, France resorts to the ‘Carrot and Stick Game’, just like the US does. ‘Rewarding good behaviour’ and “punishing bad behaviour” are quite common in the competition between great powers. However, we can say that this method is mostly used by the USA. Therefore, it can be said that a win-win approach will always prevail in European countries’ relations with China.
[i] “China’s Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis”, China MFA, https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/zxxx_662805/202302/t20230224_11030713.html, (Access Date: 15.08.2024).
[ii] “France’s Macron: Sale of European Strategic Infrastructure to China Was an Error”, Reuters, https://www.reuters.com/world/frances-macron-sale-european-strategic-infrastructure-china-was-an-error-2022-10-21/, (Access Date: 15.08.2024).
[iii] “China Bets On France in Relations With EU”, Euractiv, https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/china-bets-on-france-in-relations-with-eu/, (Access Date: 15.08.2024).
[iv] Ibid.
[v] “With Lavish Treatment Of Macron, China’s Xi Woos France To ‘Counter’ U.S.”, Reuters, https://www.reuters.com/world/with-lavish-treatment-macron-chinas-xi-woos-france-counter-us-2023-04-07/, (Access Date: 15.08.2024).
