Flight routes between Europe and China are suddenly crowded with prime ministers and presidents, giving the impression of a continent pivoting eastward.
A flurry that began late last year with visits to Beijing by the Spanish king and French president has continued with leaders of Britain, Ireland and Finland, with Germany’s chancellor to follow next month.
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Speculation is rife that Europe, scorned by its ally of eight decades, is taking a leaf out of Canada’s book in tilting towards China.
“China is not Europe’s friend and its values are still much further from Europe’s than America’s values are,” London School of Economics professor and former EU lawmaker Luis Garicano wrote in his online newsletter.
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“However, building leverage means Europe must follow Canada in a pivot towards China. It is hard to negotiate without an outside option.”
But the reality, for Europe, is patchwork and nuanced. What looks like a pivot is in fact a series of anxious, scattergun hedges.
