Europe turns toward China

French president Emmanuel Macron’s recent visit to China has emerged as one of the most defining diplomatic moments for Europe in 2025. His meetings with President Xi Jinping in Beijing and Chengdu were far more than ceremonial exchanges between two major powers. They reflected a deep recalibration underway within Europe an acknowledgment that the continent must rethink its global partnerships, diversify its strategic dependencies, and craft a foreign policy rooted in autonomy rather than alignment. In this shifting landscape, China is increasingly viewed not only as a competitor but also as a crucial partner, a technological powerhouse, and a central player in a world moving towards multipolarity.

Macron travelled with a large delegation of business leaders, technology specialists, cultural figures, and senior officials. His primary objective was to address long standing economic concerns that have shaped European views of China, particularly trade imbalances and barriers to market access. For years, European industries from automotive to agriculture have found themselves struggling to compete with China’s industrial scale and cost advantages. Yet Macron’s tone in Beijing was strikingly pragmatic. Instead of confrontation, he adopted a framework of cooperation, seeking ways to rebalance economic ties while expanding collaboration in sectors such as green technology, nuclear energy, aerospace, agriculture, and artificial intelligence. At a time when Europe is racing to achieve climate targets and transition to cleaner technologies, China’s leadership in renewable energy, EVs, and battery manufacturing is simply too significant to ignore.

What made the visit particularly meaningful was not only the agreements discussed but the symbolism surrounding it. President Xi’s decision to host Macron in Chengdu, outside the typical diplomatic centers, signaled Beijing’s desire to build a warmer and more personal relationship with France—and by extension, with Europe. The images of the two leaders walking through Sichuan cultural sites were widely interpreted as China’s gesture of respect, reassurance, and openness to deeper engagement. For Europe, which often sees its global role overshadowed by U.S. China rivalry, this recognition carries weight.

The concept of “European strategic autonomy” has been at the heart of Macron’s foreign policy doctrine, and it was visible in every statement he made during the visit. Strategic autonomy does not imply hostility toward the United States; rather, it reflects Europe’s aspiration to act according to its own interests, to avoid being drawn automatically into Washington’s geopolitical confrontations, and to develop independent economic and diplomatic capabilities. Europe has learned through recent crises the pandemic, the Ukraine war, energy disruptions that dependence on any single power or region can be costly. Diversification is not only an economic necessity but a strategic imperative.

This shift in Europe’s approach is also shaped by a subtle but growing disappointment with the United States. While transatlantic ties remain strong, many European leaders feel that U.S. foreign policy has become increasingly unpredictable. Changing administrations bring abrupt shifts in global commitments, and European economies have been adversely affected by American industrial subsidies and protectionist measures. The war in Ukraine has highlighted tensions as well: the U.S. and Europe share the same broad goals, but Washington’s strategies and timelines do not always align with European priorities. Europe wants security and peace, but it also wants to maintain agency in determining how those objectives are pursued.

These concerns do not amount to estrangement, but they have made Europe more willing to engage with China on its own terms. Beijing, for its part, has consistently sent signals that it sees Europe as a major pole in the international system one that can counterbalance the polarized logic of great-power rivalry. China has repeatedly emphasized multilateralism, stability, and collaboration on global challenges. For Europe, this is appealing, especially in areas such as climate cooperation, supply chain resilience, global economic stability, and technological progress.

Macron’s visit also highlighted a growing sentiment across European capitals: Europe does not benefit from choosing sides in a new cold war. The continent’s economic future depends on maintaining strong transatlantic ties while simultaneously engaging with Asia’s largest economy. Europe cannot afford isolation from China’s market, nor can it ignore the technological and industrial capabilities China offers. Instead, Europe is attempting to position itself as a “bridge builder,” a stabilizing force capable of working with both Washington and Beijing while pursuing its own strategic priorities.

In this context, Macron’s diplomacy reflects a broader evolution taking place across Europe. Countries such as Germany, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands have also signaled openness to pragmatic cooperation with China, particularly in technology, climate action, and trade. The momentum suggests that Europe is gradually shaping a new role for itself: not a passive bystander to global competition, but an active participant crafting its own path.

Macron’s visit did not resolve every lingering tension in China EU relations. Issues of market fairness, economic sovereignty, and geopolitical trust remain. Yet the visit succeeded in shifting the tone and opening new avenues for dialogue. It reaffirmed that Europe, facing global uncertainty, is seeking flexibility, balance, and agency. China, in turn, is positioning itself as a partner willing to engage constructively.

As the world continues its transition toward multipolarity, Europe’s willingness to redefine its global posture may prove to be one of the most consequential developments of this decade. Macron’s China visit is a signpost of that change a signal that Europe is no longer satisfied with old alignments and is ready to pursue a strategy that reflects its values, interests, and ambitions in a rapidly transforming world.