ECFR 10d ago

Welcome to the China shock: can Europe afford to stay open? This panel focuses on the strategic choices confronting Europe as it faces a new China shock. The combination of Chinese industrial overcapacity, redirected exports and mounting pressure in decisive sectors—especially clean tech—means that Europe can no longer rely on default openness without defining its terms. The discussion should help policymakers navigate the core choices ahead: where to defend domestic industrial capacity, where to absorb competitive pressure, how to balance speed against legal and institutional constraints, and which trade-offs Europe is prepared to accept. Above all, it asks: is Europe willing to act strategically before market outcomes foreclose its options? SPEAKERS: Clément Beaune, high commissioner for strategy and planning, France Brando Benifei, member of European Parliament, Democratic Party (PD) Wadia Fruergaard, senior director, head of policy and EU affairs, Vestas Norbert Röttgen, member of parliament, German Bundestag Moderator: Janka Oertel, distinguished policy fellow, European Council on Foreign Relations 00:00 — Opening and panel introductions 00:50 — Report: The Chinese Steamroller (French strategy commission) 02:33 — Debate on French and European awareness of China challenge 06:04 — German political and industrial shift on China 07:30 — German Chancellor’s position and EU-wide response 11:20 — Parliament’s view: WTO relevance and reform 14:01 — EU trade tools: steel safeguards and e-commerce measures 16:12 — Industry perspective: Vestas on European wind sector pressures 19:59 — China market access loss and reciprocity issues 21:25 — Critique: protectionism versus green transition goals 24:51 — Solar panel example and cost-gap analysis (40 %) 26:17 — Speeding up EU decision-making before 2027 28:52 — EU agency, resources and short-termism 33:19 — Security dimension: critical infrastructure and 5G/wind parallels 34:52 — Supply-chain case-by-case approach and CRM risks 36:44 — Audience Q&A begins: raw-materials retaliation risk 37:43 — Job-loss impact on European politics 38:23 — Transatlantic alignment and European-preference debate 39:03 — Africa raw-materials cooperation (German view) 39:43 — Airbus-style industrial policy example 40:15 — Wind-sector retaliation preparedness and CRM alternatives 42:15 — Transatlantic CRM/semiconductor cooperation outlook 44:32 — Political costs, democratic trust and US–China squeeze 48:19 — Closing: united EU stance, reverse dependencies, domestic honesty