What the future holds for EU, China

China is becoming an increasingly important player on the global stage. Speaking on the digital and single market of the European Union in the European Parliament recently, Margrethe Vestager, executive vice-president of the European Commission, said the world has changed over the past few years, and China has grown in global ambitions and is much different from what it was five years ago. The EU has changed as well, as has the United States, she said.

So what is the future of EU-China relations? It is difficult to predict. All will depend on the European Parliament election in 2024. But confrontation is not a choice.

The EU leaders' summit in Brussels on March 23-24 showed a divided Europe when it comes to a China policy. While the EU leaders raised fears over closer Moscow-Beijing ties, they could not reach a consensus on whether the bloc should adopt a new approach toward China.