‘Europe must counter Russia and Trump with China alliance,’ says Liberal MEP

Liberal MEP and member of the European Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee, Bernard Guetta, has suggested that the European Union should consider forging a political alliance with China in response to shifting global dynamics.

Guetta described China as the “perfect alliance of convenience” against both Moscow and Washington, given current geopolitical realities.

“With the return of imperial ambitions and [US President Donald] Trump’s anti-European stance, the logic of backdoor alliances is making a comeback,” the MEP said in a video posted on X on April 6.

“Europe may have to consider a political alliance with China — against Russia and against Trump,” he said.

“If you look at the global map, against [Russian President] Vladimir Putin, China is the strategic counterbalance. And if you look westward, against Trump, it’s also China.”

According to Guetta, the idea that was once “unthinkable” was beginning to gain traction among bureaucrats in Brussels and members of the European Parliament.

“I’ve been reflecting on this for about a month and I’ve noticed that more and more people here in parliament are starting to do the same. The concept is gaining ground, albeit reluctantly, as a response to extraordinary circumstances,” he said.

“It may sound implausible but discussions have begun,” he added.

Guetta’s comments came amid a broader re-evaluation of EU-China relations.

The EU plans on reinforcing trade within its own member states and with third parties such as China, in response to ongoing economic tensions caused by US policies towards the bloc. https://t.co/PJjej1tYZy

— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) April 1, 2025

On April 8, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen talked by telephone with Chinese Premier Li Qiang to assess the state of relations as the two blocs prepared for the upcoming EU-China summit in July, marking 50 years of diplomatic ties.

Beyond Brussels, other European leaders have also emphasised the need to reassess economic relations with Beijing.

“We need to rebalance trade relations between the EU and China in line with our industrial, economic security and low-carbon agendas,” French economy minister Laurent Saint-Martin said on April 7.

“At the same time, we must pursue a more assertive trade policy, particularly when it comes to addressing overcapacity, especially in the current context of global trade tensions,” he added.

Not everyone in the European Parliament agreed with Guetta’s proposal.

Engin Eroglu, a fellow MEP and member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and Chair of the EP’s China delegation, criticised the notion of an alliance with China, citing human rights concerns and Beijing’s foreign policy behaviour.

“Has China embraced fair economic competition for European companies? Does China now respect universal human rights? Has China ceased its military activities in the South China Sea? Is China putting an end to its hybrid warfare tactics against the EU?” he said.

In response, Guetta argued that unprecedented challenges may require equally unprecedented responses.

“The answers to your four questions are four times ‘no’ but we have to see new situations created by Trump,” he said.

“By promoting unthinkable policies, Trump could force us to look for unthinkable and unpalatable solutions.”