The Future of the EU and its Strategic Autonomy by CICIR Analyst Zhang Jian

"The crisis in Ukraine ... will further weaken the EU's strength and international influence and accelerate its marginalisation in the global geopolitical landscape."

Dear Everyone,

It has been a year since war first broke out in Ukraine. Much like in other parts of the world, this unfortunate anniversary was marked by a flurry of commentaries in China. Today’s edition of Sinification looks at a piece focusing on the war’s impact on the EU as viewed from China. Its author, Zhang Jian (张健), is the director of the Institute of European Studies at China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR) – an influential think tank linked to China’s Ministry of State Security. A long-form version of this article was first published last December and has recently been followed by an abridged edition, a translation of which you will find below.

Zhang’s assessment of the EU’s economic and political prospects is perhaps more pessimistic than some, but several of his arguments are in line with those made by other Chinese analysts. One recurring theme in China has been the negative impact that the war has had on the EU’s push for strategic autonomy. Ch…