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Germany’s Greens have advocated for a more principled approach to Beijing for years. As they prepare for a return to power in a post-Merkel government, they are promising to reshape China policy.

A robust transatlantic agenda on China is required not in spite of, but because of the complex interdependencies that exist between the West and Beijing. 

China seeks to cement a multi-polar world order in which no other state can “interfere” with what it sees as “internal affairs.” Such a world would be incompatible with the EU’s values and political identity.

In its dealings with Beijing, the United States has turned to classic grand strategy with the aim of safeguarding its primacy. In contrast, the EU has been pursuing a less consistent, but much more suitable multi-track approach. China’s latest actions may push the Europeans to full alignments with the US—which would be both momentous and dangerous.

The EU and the US are coming to the realization that China poses questions that neither can answer on their own.

The US president faces a number of interconnected challenges when it comes to developing US policy toward China. The big question, preying also on allies’ minds, is whether his approach will lead to a balanced, pragmatic relationship or drive zero-sum contestation?

There is a growing consensus that the EU has to become a geopolitical actor. To achieve this goal, numerous constraints will need to be overcome. Priorities include defining its position vis-à-vis the incoming Biden administration—and China.

If Europe has ambitions to shape the future of its neighborhood, rather than just accept it, it must redefine its role in the Middle East and take action now.

With chances for European-Russian cooperation slim, containment must remain the focus of the EU’s policy vis-à-vis Moscow.