What does the rise of China mean for Europe?

China’s role in global health has become increasingly prominent in an interconnected world where health challenges know no borders. This presentation delves into the objectives and strategies of Chinese global health diplomacy, with a specific emphasis on its engagement in Europe. Furthermore, it explores the dynamics of cooperation and competition between the EU and China in global health governance, shedding light on the opportunities and challenges in this evolving landscape.

Catherine Yuk-ping Lo, born and raised in Hong Kong, is an Assistant Professor of International Relations and Global Health at University College Maastricht at Maastricht University. She has been teaching and researching topics, including Chinese foreign policy, EU-China relations, and Chinese health diplomacy. She is a consortium member of an EU's Horizon project entitled Reignite Multilateralism via Technology (REMIT).

China’s rise has gone hand in hand with a central role in global trade. By now, China has overtaken the United States as the most important trading partner. Since Russia’s invastion in Ukraine, however, Europe increasingly sees economic dependence as a potential security risk. In response, the European Union has established a number of new economic policy instruments, such as investment screening or regulations on subsidies.These instruments seek to defend its trade interest vis-à-vis economic competitiors such as China more assertively. But can they really achieve this? And while these instruments target economic competitors such as China, do they also have implications for Europe’s relations with the developing world.

Clara Weinhardt is an Assistant Professor in International Relations at Maastricht University and Non-Residential Fellow at the Global Public Policy Institute in Berlin. Her research focusses on global trade governance and North-South relations in light of global power shifts. Her empirical research focuses on EU-Africa relations and emerging economies, especially China.