The Brussels Mole: A Chinese Gretchenfrage

Deutsch

By Niklas Helwig

How is’t with thy relationship with China, pray?

In Goethe’s Faust, Gretchen asks her lover a pointed question: What does he believe in? It’s a moment that forces the protagonist to reveal his core convictions – or evade them entirely. As a German, I admit it’s a cliché to invoke one of our national literary treasures, but in this case, it feels apt. Today, the EU faces its own Gretchenfrage: how to define its relationship with China.

On the surface, Brussels appears to be shifting toward a more hawkish stance. During his confirmation hearing, Andrius Kubilius, the new Commissioner for Defence and Space, listed China alongside Russia, Iran, and North Korea as adversaries against whom the EU must strengthen its defense. This rhetoric mirrors Washington’s framing, where the four countries are often lumped together as the “Axis of Upheaval,” often with a lack of effort to distinguish their differing threats and dynamics.

A paradox of strategic priorities

It would be naïve to dismiss concerns about China’s activities, with incidents like the sabotage of undersea cables in the Baltic Sea in November – when Chinese ships were involved – serving as stark reminders. However, the EU’s newfound clarity on China’s role may also be influenced by the re-election of Donald Trump in the US. Trump’s sharp focus on China as the “enemy number one” has spurred European efforts to signal alignment with Washington.

Yet the rhetoric contrasts with the softer realities of Brussels’ day-to-day dealings with Beijing. Chinese diplomats are regulars at Brussels’ conference buffets, extolling the virtues of cooperation over stale sandwiches. While the corridors of EU institutions buzz with talk of economic “de-risking” and strategic autonomy, the biggest concern for local residents in Brussels seems to be the parking chaos expected from the expansion of the Chinese embassy.

The paradox extends to strategic priorities. While the EU recognizes the need to counterbalance Chinese influence, it also holds out hope for Beijing’s cooperation on urgent global challenges. Nowhere is this conundrum more apparent than in Ukraine. The EU wants to present its unwavering support for Kyiv as part of a broader effort to contain revisionist powers like China and Russia – a message aimed squarely at Washington. Simultaneously, both EU leaders and the Ukrainian government acknowledge China’s leverage over Moscow, making its engagement essential to achieving peace.

Bliss, Heart, Love, God

This tightrope walk risks collapse if Trump intensifies pressure on Europe for a tougher stance against Beijing. Meanwhile, European Council President António Costa is reportedly scouting for dates for a new summit with China, hoping to prevent a strategic void and maintain dialogue. Such summits inevitably spark intense preparatory debates, which could help the EU refine a unified message on how to engage with China.

So, how did Faust respond to Gretchen’s probing question about his faith? Evasively. “Call it Bliss! Heart! Love! God!” he said, strategically ambiguous in his bid to win her over. Brussels, too, may find that strategic ambiguity is its best answer. Facing economic dependencies, geopolitical challenges, and pressure from allies, Brussels might find that ambivalence – balancing firmness with engagement – is the only way to navigate its Gretchenfrage with China.

Niklas Helwig is a Brussels-based Leading Researcher at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA), whose personal Gretchenfrage is whether to take mayonnaise or sauce andalouse with his Belgian fries.

The Brussels Mole column is published in cooperation with Ulkopolitiikka, the Finnish Journal of Foreign Affairs. The original Finnish text can be found here. To see all Brussels Mole articles, click here.

Pictures: Faust and Gretchen in the Garden: James Tissot, 1861 [public domain], via Wikimedia Commons;; portrait Niklas Helwig: FIIA [all rights reserved].