China is steadily narrowing the distance to the United States in terms of global influence, but growing transatlantic tensions do not signal any EU pivot towards Beijing, according to remarks by former senior policymakers.
Speaking at the Asian Financial Forum in Hong Kong, former European Commission president José Manuel Barroso said that while the United States remains the world’s leading power, China is gradually catching up.
“China comes every time closer, from my point of view,” Barroso said.
He argued that Beijing’s rising influence is driven not only by its economic strength but also by increasingly active diplomacy. At the same time, he warned that the global environment is becoming more unpredictable, with rivalry between major powers clearly intensifying.
Beijing bets on transatlantic cracks
In parallel, hopes have emerged in Beijing that strains in EU–US relations – including disputes over Donald Trump’s trade policies and plans related to Greenland – could open space for China to deepen ties with the European Union.
That reading, however, was firmly rejected by William Klein, a former US chargé d’affaires in Beijing.
“[I] detected some hope in China over the past several years that, as Europe’s relations with the United States deteriorate, maybe this is an opening [for Beijing],” Klein said.
“But I think all of those assessments, or hopes, are inaccurate … Expecting Europe to fundamentally shift how it engages China is not going to happen,” he added.
According to Klein, the EU’s core diplomatic challenge will remain balancing relations between two competing powers. While US policy can at times be difficult for Europe, he noted that China’s image in the EU has deteriorated markedly – above all due to its trade practices and perceived support for Russia in its war against Ukraine.