Bulletin of the Institute for Western Affairs, ed. 5 (487): China’s “pro-Russia” neutrality and its implications for relations with the European Union

Bulletin of the Institute for Western Affairs, ed. 22 (477)/2022: Tomasz Morozowski „China’s ‘pro-Russia’ neutrality and its implications for relations with the European Union

The reaction of the People's Republic of China to Russia's aggression against Ukraine has revealed the existence of a strong Sino-Russian alliance extending significantly beyond the present conflict in the east. Both states see the United States as their main rival in the international arena and are united by the narrative of the need to revise the liberal world order dominated by the US and the Western world. However, Russia’s founderings in Ukraine, the united front of the West in the face of the invasion, and growing pressures on China from both Moscow and the EU, have put Beijing in an uncomfortable position, forcing it to relinquish its strategy of balance and apparent neutrality. What the Chinese authorities will do next with regard to the war in Ukraine and its alliance with Russia will not be without impact on EU-China relations. Europe can be expected to modify its approach to Chinese relations by strengthening its own resilience and competitiveness, ensuring further diversification, and stepping up its involvement in the Indo-Pacific region.