China: the 'abusive' partner the EU just can’t quit?

Is the EU finally ready to get serious about China? That’s the question increasingly dominating conversations in Brussels as fears grow that Europe is being squeezed by Beijing’s industrial machine. Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by Sander Tordoir from the Centre for European Reform, Grzegorz Stec from MERICS and POLITICO’s Jordyn Dahl to discuss the European Commission's attempts to forge a common stance on China. With deindustrialization already visible across parts of the continent, social tensions are spiking and fueling support for radical political forces. As China floods the bloc with cheap imports, strategic industries are struggling to respond. But Europeans genuinely like many of the Chinese products flooding into the continent — from electric cars to solar panels and electronics. So how far is Brussels actually willing to go to protect European industry? Can the EU stay united once the economic costs start biting? And has Europe finally reached its China shock moment? If you have questions or comments, send us a message — or even better, a voice note on our WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices