China and the Indo-Pacific: a challenge for the EU’s strategic autonomy

The so called “strategic autonomy” was a key objective formulated in 2016 by the EU Global Strategy. Five years later, the 2021 EU Indo Pacific strategy stated that a military conflict in the Taiwan Strait may have a direct impact on European security and prosperity. Now, in the context of growing US confrontation with China over Taiwan, the European “open strategic autonomy” into this geopolitical battle emerges as one of the most important issues of our immediate future.

Which ways do we have to promote EU’s interests and values in China? How can we foster a constructive and fruitful relation between Brussels, Member States and Beijing in a context of growing confrontation? How can we contribute to de-escalate tensions? And more specifically, how could the Taiwan’s issue re-configurate the Transatlantic alliance?

We will try to shed some light on these questions in this one-on-one interview of Fundación Alternativas with the EU’s Ambassador to China Jorge Toledo.  We will make a review of the current EU-China relations and the priorities of the EU Indo-Pacific Strategy in key domains: political, industrial, digital, energy. You are very much welcomed to participate in this conversation. 

Program

11.00: Interview

• Jorge Toledo
  Head of Delegation of the European Union to China
  

• Vicente Palacio
  Foreign Policy Director, Fundación Alternativas

11.20: Comments and questions of invitees and the public