World Insights: European poll highlights willingness to see China as partner

A China-Europe freight train arrives at Xi'an international port in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Aug. 31, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)

The reluctance of Europeans to pick a side between China and the United States results from an interdependence between Europe and China, said experts.

China-EU economic ties have resulted in a much greater interdependence than most people outside the business sector might realize.

BERLIN, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Europeans want to remain neutral between China and the United States and are reluctant to "de-risk" from China, according to a recent poll by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR).

The prevailing view in almost every country the institution polled is that China is Europe's "necessary partner," said the report issued on June 7.

This report, reflecting the opinions of 16,168 respondents, is based on a poll conducted in 11 European countries, including France, Germany and Spain.

On average, 62 percent of the respondents think their country should remain neutral to a "potential conflict between the United States and China," according to the poll.

The report says that Europeans do not seem to share the view of many American strategists that NATO's eastern flank and the Indo-Pacific are two interconnected theaters.

Meanwhile, the report noted that three-quarters of respondents agree that Europe cannot always rely on the United States and must look after its own defense capabilities. Less than 10 percent believe that the United States will always protect Europe.

The reluctance of Europeans to pick a side between China and the United States results from an interdependence between Europe and China, according to experts.

Economic ties have resulted in a much greater interdependence than most people outside the business sector might realize, said Jochum Haakma, chairman of the Netherlands-China Business Council and chairman of the EU-China Business Association in Brussels.

According to Haakma, the EU's interdependence with China calls for a pragmatic approach to balancing their relationship with the United States and China, making it essential to maintain good ties with China.

As essential trade partners, economic relations between China and the EU have been rapidly expanding in sectors of batteries, electric vehicles and photovoltaic products.

A visitor prepares to taste tea during an opening ceremony of Yaji Cultural Salon "Tea for Harmony" at China Cultural Center in Brussels, Belgium, on May 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

New investment from European companies in China went up by 70 percent to 12.1 billion U.S. dollars in 2022, according to data from China's Ministry of Commerce. Last year, China-EU bilateral trade hit a new high of 847.3 billion U.S. dollars.

Across the countries surveyed by the ECFR, only 22 percent of Europeans consider the region's economic relationship with China as bearing more risks than benefits.

Instead of being systematic rivals, Europe and China should be global partners to improve global governance, said Maria Joao Rodrigues, president of the Foundation for European Progressive Studies. "This can make a big difference for the world."