MERICS EU-China Hub

Welcome to the MERICS EU-China Hub. On this web page, you will find our current research and analysis of major developments between Beijing, Brussels and other European capitals. Our experts present their insights in in-depth studies, quick-read opinion pieces and short analyses as well as podcasts, videos and graphics.

European flags in front of the European Commission headquarters in Brussels.

EU-China

The new European Commission and China + EU trade with China and the US + EV tariffs

François Chimits

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Oct 18, 2024

Research

EU-China

The Europe-China Resilience Audit: Insights for advancing European resilience

Grzegorz Stec, Helena Legarda

Report

Oct 31, 2024

Profiling European countries' resilience towards China

Report

Oct 31, 2024

Updating the EU strategy on China: co-existence while derisking through partnerships (bruegel)

Dr. Alicia García-Herrero

Abigaël Vasselier

External publication

Oct 31, 2024

European resilience will require a more proactive approach to partnerships

Abigaël Vasselier

Helena Legarda

Comment

Oct 31, 2024

Building resilience: The need for a geopolitical European Commission and strong leadership from Member States

Abigaël Vasselier

Grzegorz Stec

Comment

Oct 31, 2024

How China sees the EU's changing leadership + EV subsidies + China-Russia

Abigaël Vasselier

François Chimits

Claus Soong

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Jul 18, 2024

EU-China tariff talks + South China Sea tensions + PLA meeting

MERICS Briefs

Jun 27, 2024

EV tariffs + Ukraine-China + Job market

MERICS Briefs

Jun 13, 2024

Takeaways from the Xi-Putin meeting + Manufacturing overcapacity + Agrifood trade

François Chimits

Eva Seiwert

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

May 24, 2024

Xi's visit to Europe + Quantum technology + Hong Kong

MERICS Briefs

May 16, 2024

How EP parties see China + EV exports + Trade and Technology Council

François Chimits

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Apr 26, 2024

Li Hui’s Europe tour 2.0 + Beijing’s mediation as seen from Kyiv + Market distortions

François Chimits

Yurii Poita

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Mar 21, 2024

China and the Red Sea crisis + EU anti-forced labor instrument

Helena Legarda

François Chimits

MERICS Briefs

Feb 22, 2024

Relations between the EU and China: what to watch for in 2024

Abigaël Vasselier

François Chimits

MERICS Briefs

Jan 25, 2024

Bracing for geopolitical competition – insights from the MERICS China Forecast 2024

Grzegorz Stec

Claus Soong

Comment

Jan 17, 2024

China’s missing offer to Europe ahead of the EU-China summit

Abigaël Vasselier

Comment

Dec 06, 2023

EU-China summit + EU-US summit

François Chimits

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Nov 20, 2023

Profiling relations of European countries with China

Francesca Ghiretti

Helena Legarda

Grzegorz Stec

Abigaël Vasselier

Report

Oct 31, 2023

In research collaboration, drawing red lines with China isn’t easy

Rebecca Arcesati

Francesca Ghiretti

Sylvia Schwaag Serger

Comment

Oct 24, 2023

EU risk assessment + Borrell and Wang dialogue + Chinese views on EU's strategic ambitions

Francesca Ghiretti

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Oct 19, 2023

Chinese assessments of de-risking (CSIS)

Francesca Ghiretti

External publication

Oct 03, 2023

Chinese investments in European maritime infrastructure (European Parliament)

Francesca Ghiretti

Jacob Gunter

External publication

Oct 03, 2023

Dombrovskis in China + Open criticism of China’s economic direction + Tech de-risking

MERICS Briefs

Sep 28, 2023

The EU's agenda on China for the months ahead + New Asia Director at EEAS

Francesca Ghiretti

Abigaël Vasselier

MERICS Briefs

Sep 22, 2023

From China strategy to no strategy at all: Exploring European approaches

A report by the European Think-tank Network on China (ETNC), July 2023

Report

Jul 27, 2023

EU Council summit + Export controls + Foreign relations law

MERICS Briefs

Jul 06, 2023

Updating the EU action plan on China: De-risk, engage, coordinate

François Chimits

Francesca Ghiretti

Grzegorz Stec

Report

Jun 29, 2023

EU economic security strategy + Li Hui's trip to Europe

Francesca Ghiretti

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Jun 15, 2023

The EU’s approach to China + Zelensky-Xi call + Italy’s MoU on the BRI

Francesca Ghiretti

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

May 11, 2023

Six priorities for “de-risking” EU relations with China (Internationale Politik)

Mikko Huotari

Grzegorz Stec

Comment

Apr 21, 2023

De-risking viewed from China + EU anti-coercion instrument

Francesca Ghiretti

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Apr 14, 2023

Von der Leyen and Macron in China + Alibaba splits into 6 companies + China blocks foreign users from database

MERICS Briefs

Apr 06, 2023

China debates on the EU's geopolitical standing + European leaders' visits to Beijing

Francesca Ghiretti

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Mar 10, 2023

From opportunity to risk: The changing economic security policies vis-à-vis China

Francesca Ghiretti

Report

Feb 22, 2023

US-China relations + German debates on China

Francesca Ghiretti

Barbara Pongratz

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Feb 10, 2023

Diversification isn’t enough to cure Europe’s economic dependence on China

Francesca Ghiretti

Hanns W. Maull

Comment

Jan 30, 2023

China's precarious path forward – insights from the MERICS China Forecast 2023

Roderick Kefferpütz

Comment

Jan 18, 2023

China wants to mend fences – and Europe must fend off menaces

Alicja Bachulska

Comment

Dec 20, 2022

EU-China relations in 2022 + Managing dependencies

Francesca Ghiretti

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Dec 08, 2022

Party Congress implications for the EU + Germany's China policy

Francesca Ghiretti

Barbara Pongratz

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Nov 10, 2022

Net-zero Europe risks a heavy dependence on China

Alexander Brown

Comment

Oct 31, 2022

China debates on France and Germany + EU anti-forced labor instrument

François Chimits

Thomas des Garets Geddes

Francesca Ghiretti

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Sep 29, 2022

EU-China climate cooperation + China's new Special Representative for Central and Eastern Europe

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Sep 15, 2022

EU-China calendar for the remainder of 2022 + Chinese LNG exports to Europe

Grzegorz Stec

Francesca Ghiretti

MERICS Briefs

Sep 02, 2022

Mild wording but harsh timing: Latvia and Estonia’s exit from the “16+1”

Una Bērziņa-Čerenkova

Comment

Aug 22, 2022

Crisis in the Taiwan Strait + 14+1

Francesca Ghiretti

MERICS Briefs

Aug 18, 2022

How China views the EU amid the Russia-Ukraine war + Global Gateway + Departing EU Ambassador to China

Grzegorz Stec

Francesca Ghiretti

MERICS Briefs

Aug 04, 2022

UK-China relations +EU-China economic dialogue +Tech-competition

Thomas des Garets Geddes

Grzegorz Stec

Francesca Ghiretti

MERICS Briefs

Jul 21, 2022

Italy pushes back against China’s technology transfer

Rebecca Arcesati

Francesca Ghiretti

Comment

Jul 01, 2022

Czech EU presidency + Next EU ambassador to China + NATO summit preview

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Jun 23, 2022

Is China still trying to win the EU over? + Germany’s shifting China relations + Taiwan

Francesca Ghiretti

Roderick Kefferpütz

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Jun 10, 2022

Trade and Technology Council + Chinese debates on sanctions on Russia + EU-Japan summit

Rebecca Arcesati

Thomas des Garets Geddes

Francesca Ghiretti

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

May 19, 2022

China-CEE relations + Xinhua interviews with Kuleba and Lavrov + UK-China relations

Francesca Ghiretti

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

May 05, 2022

Dependence in Europe's Relations with China

Weighing Perceptions and Reality

Bernhard Bartsch

Francesca Ghiretti

Barbara Pongratz

External publication

Apr 26, 2022

How China lost Central and Eastern Europe

Ivana Karásková

Comment

Apr 22, 2022

EU-China Summit + French elections + Newport Wafer Fab

Thomas des Garets Geddes

Francesca Ghiretti

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Apr 14, 2022

EU-China summits: From cooperation to damage control

Grzegorz Stec

Comment

Apr 11, 2022

EU-China summit + Strategic Compass + Biden in Brussels

Francesca Ghiretti

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Mar 31, 2022

Ukraine + US-China talks + EU International Procurement Instrument

Francesca Ghiretti

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Mar 17, 2022

Indo-Pacific watch: Lessons from Ukraine for the Indo-Pacific

Helena Legarda

Comment

Mar 15, 2022

Three Franco-German priorities for Europe’s China policy: economic security, proactive innovation and coordination on Asia-Pacific

François Godement

Mikko Huotari

Comment

Mar 15, 2022

Chinese debates on Ukraine + EU-Indo-Pacific Forum + Strategic dependency

Francesca Ghiretti

Grzegorz Stec

Thomas des Garets Geddes

MERICS Briefs

Mar 03, 2022

Balancing China in the Indo-Pacific: the role of France and Germany

Mathieu Duchâtel

Roderick Kefferpütz

Comment

Feb 22, 2022

China-Russia + Research cooperation + EU-Africa Summit

Francesca Ghiretti

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Feb 17, 2022

An expert look at EU-China 2022 + China-Lithuania + EU-China WTO dispute

Francesca Ghiretti

Grzegorz Stec

Thomas des Garets Geddes

MERICS Briefs

Feb 03, 2022

MERICS China Forecast 2022

Political relations expected to worsen, but economic ties to remain stable

Comment

Jan 26, 2022

French EU presidency + Transatlantic coordination on China + Lithuania

Francesca Ghiretti

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Jan 20, 2022

China’s defense against the war of words

Comment

Jan 05, 2022

China’s participation in RCEP has implications for Europe

Aya Adachi

Comment

Jan 04, 2022

EU-China audit + German coalition agreement + EU FDI screening mechanism

Francesca Ghiretti

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Dec 02, 2021

Big fish in small ponds: China’s subnational diplomacy in Europe

Roderick Kefferpütz

Report

Nov 18, 2021

Taiwan + Climate cooperation + Global Gateway

Thomas des Garets Geddes

Francesca Ghiretti

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Nov 18, 2021

China at G20 + COP26: No pledges + Two Europe trips: China and Taiwan

Francesca Ghiretti

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Nov 04, 2021

Western Balkans + Sino-German relations + Czech China policy

Thomas des Garets Geddes

Francesca Ghiretti

Jacob Mardell

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Oct 14, 2021

Screening foreign investment in the EU – the first year

Francesca Ghiretti

Comment

Oct 14, 2021

Franco-German tandem on China + AUKUS + Trade and Technology Council

Francesca Ghiretti

Grzegorz Stec

Thomas des Garets Geddes

MERICS Briefs

Sep 30, 2021

Taiwan + Indo-Pacific + EU China policy

Francesca Ghiretti

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Sep 16, 2021

EU’s event-packed fall will set the tone for its China policy in 2022

Francesca Ghiretti

Grzegorz Stec

Comment

Aug 31, 2021

China high on the EU's agenda this fall + Lithuania + Berlin's Indo-Pacific Strategy

Francesca Ghiretti

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Aug 31, 2021

The EU’s new connectivity agenda – What (not) to learn from the Belt and Road Initiative?

What (not) to learn from the Belt and Road Initiative?

Jacob Mardell

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Jul 29, 2021

Europe's Connectivity Agenda + Semiconductor supply chains + Cyber weaknesses

Rebecca Arcesati

Thomas des Garets Geddes

Katja Drinhausen

John Lee

Jacob Mardell

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Jul 29, 2021

China’s rule and standard-setting ambitions for global trade

Implications for EU trade policy

Matt Ferchen

Thomas des Garets Geddes

Barbara Pongratz

Report

Jul 29, 2021

Cyber attacks + Merkel meets Biden + EU Parliament endorses new report

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Jul 21, 2021

EU connectivity initiative + Values issues + Lithuania

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Jul 14, 2021

Mind the Gap: Priorities for Transatlantic China Policy

Joint report by the Aspen Strategy Group, Munich Security Conference and MERICS

Bernhard Bartsch

Mikko Huotari

Jan Weidenfeld

Report

Jul 14, 2021

EU-US Trade and Technology Council will be a litmus test for transatlantic coordination on China

Rebecca Arcesati

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Jun 30, 2021

EU-US Trade and Technology Council + Sanctions + EUCCC survey

Rebecca Arcesati

François Chimits

Thomas des Garets Geddes

Helena Legarda

Grzegorz Stec

Max J. Zenglein

MERICS Briefs

Jun 30, 2021

Germany’s future China policy – a look into the election campaign

Ariane Reimers

MERICS Briefs

Jun 24, 2021

Wolf-warrior diplomacy + Indo-Pacific + Montenegro

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Jun 23, 2021

Swiss-China relations: testing times lie ahead

Tashi Götzmann

Comment

Jun 18, 2021

International summits focus on China + Beijing's anti-sanctions law

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Jun 16, 2021

Chinese FDI in Europe: 2020 Update

Investment falls to 10-year low in an economically and politically challenging year

Agatha Kratz

Max J. Zenglein

Gregor Sebastian

Report

Jun 16, 2021

EU-US summits + Economic relations + International Procurement Instrument

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Jun 09, 2021

17+1 format + Diplomatic damage control + EU-US cooperation

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Jun 02, 2021

EU beefs up ability to compete ahead of international discussions on rules

François Chimits

Comment

May 26, 2021

Dual-use export controls + Beijing’s “genuine” multilateralism + China’s recruitment of researchers in Denmark

Rebecca Arcesati

François Chimits

Thomas des Garets Geddes

Ivana Karásková

Gregor Sebastian

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

May 26, 2021

Germany's Next China Policy

Barbara Pongratz

Comment

May 14, 2021

Dual-use + Hungary and Hong Kong + Taiwan in international organizations

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

May 12, 2021

Commission proposes defensive economic measures + CAI + Belgium's investment screening mechanism

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

May 05, 2021

A Baltic view on transatlantic tech relations towards China

Una Bērziņa-Čerenkova

Comment

Apr 29, 2021

Sino-German Government Talks: Dialogue and cooperation with China - the German Sonderweg?

Ariane Reimers

Comment

Apr 29, 2021

Sino-German government talks + Rural revitalization + Tesla

MERICS Briefs

Apr 29, 2021

“Correct choice” on strategic autonomy: What China wants from the EU

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Apr 28, 2021

Germany-China + Strategic Autonomy + Climate cooperation

Ariane Reimers

Grzegorz Stec

Nis Grünberg

François Chimits

Rebecca Arcesati

MERICS Briefs

Apr 28, 2021

Climate cooperation meeting + Hong Kong + EU Indo-Pacific strategy

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Apr 21, 2021

China’s soft power in Europe: falling on hard times

Barbara Pongratz

External publication

Apr 20, 2021

Rare earths elements and other critical raw materials: a geopolitical headache for the EU

Valentina Vengust

Comment

Apr 20, 2021

Germany-China + Italy-China + E-Commerce

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Apr 14, 2021

Can European anti-money laundering laws reveal who owns Huawei? (CHOICE)

Matej Šimalčík

External publication

Apr 14, 2021

Defense cooperation + Foreign correspondents + Rare earths

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Apr 07, 2021

CAI – looking beyond market openings

François Chimits

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Apr 01, 2021

CAI + Sanctions + EU Digital Compass

Grzegorz Stec

Rebecca Arcesati

François Chimits

MERICS Briefs

Mar 31, 2021

Likeminded coordination boosted, with Chinese pushback

MERICS Briefs

Mar 26, 2021

Sanctions + China-Russia relations + Financial reforms

MERICS Briefs

Mar 25, 2021

Sanctions + China-France + EU-US-NATO talks

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Mar 24, 2021

CAI market access annexes + Vaccine passports + Indo-Pacific

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Briefs

Mar 17, 2021

Beijing's vaccine diplomacy + Portugal's EU Council Presidency + 17+1 summit

Grzegorz Stec

Lucrezia Poggetti

MERICS Briefs

Feb 24, 2021

EU-China Mappings: Interactions between the EU and China on key issues

Lucrezia Poggetti

Comment

Jan 20, 2021

Decoupling - Severed Ties and Patchwork Globalisation

Report by European Chamber of Commerce in China in partnership with MERICS

Mikko Huotari

Jacob Gunter

Carl Hayward

Max J. Zenglein

John Lee

Rebecca Arcesati

Caroline Meinhardt

Ester Cañada Amela

Tom Groot Haar

Report

Jan 14, 2021

EU-China investment deal leaves a lot to be desired

MERICS Briefs

Jan 14, 2021

Mapping and recalibrating Europe’s economic interdependence with China

Max J. Zenglein

Report

Nov 17, 2020

New EU screening framework also targeting Chinese FDI is finally in place

Comment

Oct 22, 2020

Central and Eastern Europe and Joint European China Policy: Threat or Opportunity?

Grzegorz Stec

Comment

Oct 01, 2020

Towards a "Principles First Approach" in Europe's China Policy

Drawing lessons from the Covid-19 crisis

Rebecca Arcesati

Katja Drinhausen

Thomas des Garets Geddes

Nis Grünberg

Mikko Huotari

Helena Legarda

Caroline Meinhardt

Lucrezia Poggetti

Jan Weidenfeld

Report

Sep 15, 2020

Beijing’s “Year of Europe” launched against headwinds

MERICS Briefs

Sep 10, 2020

Mastering EU-China relations: German presidency is faced with challenges

Grzegorz Stec

Comment

Jun 30, 2020

China policy – Europe is moving towards doing it its way

MERICS Briefs

Jun 18, 2020

Europe needs democratic alliances to compete with China on technology

Rebecca Arcesati

Martijn Rasser

Comment

May 29, 2020

Sino-German relations in the Corona crisis: It’s time to make decisions

Barbara Pongratz

Comment

May 15, 2020

Questions in Europe about returning to business as usual with Beijing

MERICS Briefs

May 07, 2020

Covid-19 and Europe-China Relations

A special report by the European Think-tank Network on China (ETNC)

Lucrezia Poggetti

Barbara Pongratz

External publication

Apr 29, 2020

Europe’s sobering crisis

Lucrezia Poggetti

Comment

Apr 21, 2020

Chinese FDI in Europe: 2019 Update

Special Topic: Research Collaborations

Agatha Kratz

Mikko Huotari

Thilo Hanemann

Rebecca Arcesati

Report

Apr 08, 2020

Managing Economic Cooperation and Competition with China

Towards a More Integrated European Trade Policy Approach

Mikko Huotari

Jan Weidenfeld

Rebecca Arcesati

External publication

Mar 12, 2020

Exposure to China: A reality check

Lucrezia Poggetti

Max J. Zenglein

Comment

Mar 06, 2020

China in 2020: Managing stress factors

Mary Hennock

Comment

Feb 21, 2020

From talk to action: Europe’s relations with Beijing in the year ahead

Lucrezia Poggetti

Comment

Jan 28, 2020

Insights

EU-China

MERICS Forum: Chinese EV investments in Europe

Comment

Oct 17, 2024

Cars at the Port of Nanjing, China's Jiangsu Province

Events

Stacked container showing a projection of European and Chinese flag on the front

EU-China

Trade and Investment

When dependence cuts both ways: Towards a realistic assessment of EU-China economic relations

Nov. 26, 2020

Photo taken on Sept. 11, 2016 shows the computer room at Alibaba's data center in Zhangbei County

EU-China

NECE2020 Panel: China’s Moment? Or: A New Cold War in the Making?

Nov. 06, 2020

Experts on EU-China

Abigaël Vasselier

Director Policy & European Affairs/Head of Program Foreign Relations

Grzegorz Stec

Head of Brussels Office

François Chimits

Senior Economist (Brussels office)

Mikko Huotari

Executive Director

Helena Legarda

Lead Analyst