Published on
16/07/2026 - 13:28 GMT+2
EU foreign ministers delivered a bleak assessment of Beijing’s geostrategic role, saying that China holds “asymmetric advantages” over the EU through its economic and technological dominance, making it a "critical long-term strategic challenge" for the bloc.
Tensions have escalated between the EU and China in recent months, with the bloc setting an October deadline to rebalance trade ties with Beijing through dialogue as Chinese overcapacity threatens entire sectors of the European economy.
But every recent move by Brussels to protect its market has prompted threats of retaliation from China, which holds significant leverage over the EU through its control of rare earth supplies vital to the bloc’s defence industry and green technologies.
