Economic relations between Europe and China remain highly salient due to the potential for increased trade and investment, as well as future cooperation on projects stemming from the Belt and Road initiative. Yet, in this podcast with Paul Haenle, Francois Godement argues that China-EU commercial relations are increasingly asymmetric and spontaneous, which presents opportunities and challenges to the overall relationship. 

Godement is skeptical that the growing presence of Chinese state-owned enterprises in the EU is part of a planned Chinese government strategy.  As China’s economic slowdown causes Europe to lose confidence, Godement argues that the dynamism of China’s new economy reflects an underlying resilience, while managing emerging sectors will present a new challenge for Chinese policymakers.  Underlying all of this, Godement discusses how the Belt and Road initiative reflects the complexity of China’s relations with the United States, Central Asia, and Europe.

François Godement

François Godement is an expert on Chinese and East Asian strategic and international affairs and a nonresident senior associate in the Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. His current research focuses on trends and debates in China’s foreign policy and on Europe-China relations.

Paul Haenle

Paul Haenle is the director of the Carnegie–Tsinghua Center for Global Policy. Prior to joining Carnegie, he served from June 2007 to June 2009 as the director for China, Taiwan, and Mongolian Affairs on the National Security Council staffs of former president George W. Bush and President Barack Obama.