Strasbourg— European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has reaffirmed the European Union’s intent to “de-risk” its economic relationship with China—without severing ties—during a major address to the European Parliament on Tuesday, reported by Anadolu Agency.
“We will de-risk our economies, but we do not want to decouple,” von der Leyen stated, framing the EU’s evolving China policy as one of strategic realism rather than confrontation. She emphasized the bloc’s readiness to forge a “more balanced” and “more stable” partnership with Beijing.
Calling China a “formidable actor” in global trade and technology, von der Leyen warned of systemic risks posed by its model of subsidized industrial overcapacity, which she said is designed not just to boost domestic growth, but to “choke international competition.”
She outlined three key priorities to reshape EU-China ties: rebalancing trade, reducing strategic dependencies, and engaging in deeper diplomacy on global issues. “A genuine rebalancing” would require fewer market distortions, fairer competition, and better access for European businesses operating in China, she said.
While she welcomed continued dialogue with Chinese leadership, von der Leyen voiced concern over influence operations, cyberattacks, and China’s alleged role in supporting Russia’s war economy—calling Beijing’s stance a “determining factor” in future relations.
Von der Leyen said de-risking is about safeguarding European independence in critical technologies and trade, not disengagement. “We’ve learned how dependencies become vulnerabilities,” she said, referencing lessons from the war in Ukraine.
Despite the challenges, von der Leyen held out hope: “There is a lot we can do together—if China is ready to engage with predictability and reliability.”
Her message to Beijing was clear: cooperation is still on the table, but only on fair and reciprocal terms.
