La position incohérente de l'Europe face à la menace chinoise est une menace pour elle-même

Europe's latest position paper on China has framed Beijing as a long-term security threat, marking a shift in the bloc’s approach to its largest trading partner. The document, titled “Common Understanding: The Threats and Challenges We Face,” was approved by EU foreign ministers on July 13, outlining a more unified stance against Chinese influence. It identifies Beijing as a “critical long-term strategic challenge,” accusing it of promoting “sphere-of-influence logic” to reshape the global order. This assessment comes amid heightened tensions over China’s role in supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine and its assertiveness in the South China Sea, which the EU claims undermines regional security, stability, and prosperity. The paper builds upon the 2019 EU policy framework, which classified China as a partner, competitor, and systemic rival. However, the new document elevates the threat narrative, suggesting that Beijing’s actions pose a broader security risk than previously acknowledged. This shift follows a recent reaffirmation of the EU’s “de-risking, not decoupling” strategy, which seeks to reduce dependency on China without entirely severing economic ties. Despite this, the current assessment treats China’s industrial might, technological ambitions, commercial leverage, control of critical resources, alliance with Moscow, and behavior in the Indo-Pacific as interconnected elements of a singular threat. EU officials have emphasized that the new position will inform the upcoming European Security Strategy, integrating defense, energy, and supply chain considerations into a cohesive policy. This strategy will likely guide measures such as investment screening, export controls, procurement practices, industrial support, technology regulation, trade restrictions, and efforts to limit supply chain exposure to China. These policies, framed as technical safeguards, rely on a political judgment that reliance on Beijing poses both commercial vulnerabilities and broader security risks. The EU’s high representative for foreign affairs, Kaja Kallas, hinted earlier this year that the position paper would serve as a foundation for the new security strategy. Her comments suggest that the evolving assessment reflects a growing concern within the bloc about China’s expanding influence. Meanwhile, China’s commerce minister, Wang Wentao, and EU officials have maintained that their relationship remains “stable and balanced,” highlighting the ongoing dialogue despite diverging assessments. This divergence underscores the complexity of EU-China relations, where economic interdependence coexists with strategic competition. While the EU continues to engage with China on trade and investment matters, the new security-focused approach signals a willingness to prioritize geopolitical concerns over economic cooperation. This balancing act is further complicated by the EU’s reliance on China for critical raw materials and advanced technologies, which complicates efforts to fully de-risk dependencies. As the EU prepares to finalize its security strategy, the implications of this new assessment remain unclear. The extent to which these policies will be implemented depends on how effectively the bloc can navigate its dual objectives of maintaining economic ties while addressing perceived security threats. The coming months will reveal whether the EU can reconcile these competing priorities or if the tension between economic interests and strategic concerns will deepen. For now, the focus remains on shaping a policy that aligns with the EU’s broader vision of a secure and independent future.