Chinese trade policies and subsidies are destroying the European Union’s industrial base. This fall, the Europeans need to respond—and prepare for the conflict in the right way.
The German government finally wants to protect European industry from Chinese overcapacity. However, it is relying on the wrong measures to do so.
Beijing’s export controls on rare earths are never truly cancelled, only delayed. They could undermine Europe’s plans to push back against “China Shock 2.0.”
Brussels has signed 12 security partnerships in just two years. Together, they reflect the EU’s effort to diversify its security ties beyond its traditional reliance on the United States.
As the global geopolitical environment deteriorates, Japan-EU relations have evolved from being based on shared values to a structured strategic partnership.
The EU and India became strategic partners more than 20 years ago and recently concluded “the mother of all trade deals.” But the relationship still lacks focus and purpose.
The EU is not a middle power—yet. Failing to build the financial architecture to mobilize capital at scale and project power may well lead to it becoming an irrelevance.
Germany needs to stop thinking about foreign affairs and security in an isolated way. Fiscal policy, the country’s economic model, and the defense of our democracy have immense foreign policy implications that have been neglected so far.
Despite Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his government’s claims of a brand-new German foreign policy, there has really been more continuity than change. What Berlin needs to achieve is nothing less than a major strategy for protecting Europe’s security.
The “China shock” and weakening relations with Donald Trump’s United States have made clear that Germany must embark on a quest for new partners. For Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the key criterion for choosing them is whether they’re willing to abide by international rules.
The Merz government has started to restructure Germany’s foreign and security policy apparatus. The changes are happening too slowly and are not radical enough.
The world is facing the end of an idealistic-normative approach to the international order. Germany needs to recalibrate its approach.
