Europe Must Adopt China's Strategic Approach to Survive Global Chaos
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/mark-leonard. "Europe should behave more like China does if it wants to survive this age of chaos | Mark Leonard | The Guardian." May 11, 2026. www.theguardian.com
The Gist
The author argues that Europe is dangerously vulnerable because it relies on old international rules while China has prepared for a chaotic world by controlling key resources and technologies. Europe should copy China's strategy of protecting its own market while building up strategic capabilities, or risk becoming economically dependent and defenseless.
Conclusion
Europe needs to behave more like China by developing strategic autonomy and using economic leverage to survive in an age of 'un-order' where traditional rules no longer apply
Premises
- The world has entered an age of 'un-order' where traditional international rules have ceased to matter, as evidenced by ongoing conflicts and geopolitical instability
- China anticipated this chaotic environment and prepared by stockpiling critical resources, cornering markets in rare earths and future technologies, while Europe remained dependent on external systems
- Europe faces dangerous exposure to Chinese economic dominance, with 80% of drone supply chains and 97% of EU magnesium coming from China
- Current EU measures like half-hearted tariffs are insufficient to incentivize Chinese investment in Europe or prevent deindustrialization
- Europe has untapped economic leverage tools including trade instruments, digital regulations, and the ability to ground Chinese Airbus fleets through software control
- Strategic autonomy would protect Europe not only from China but also from potential American coercion under leaders like Trump
Assumptions
- Traditional international order and rule-based systems are permanently weakened or defunct
- Economic interdependence without strategic autonomy leads to vulnerability and coercion
- China's approach of selective market protection while building strategic capabilities is replicable and effective
- Europe has sufficient internal market size and resources to pursue strategic autonomy successfully
- Aggressive economic measures will lead to better outcomes than continued reliance on international cooperation