How can we continue to work with China? This was the question addressed by a working group convened by The Bridge Tank on 3 June 2022, which brought together leading figures from the world of think tanks, diplomacy, the national press, the defence industry and former general officers.

“The truth is that, in principle, working with China is not an option but an inevitability. China is obviously unavoidable. But in terms of how to do so, it has to be said that the task has become much more difficult in recent years than it was before: the country has spectacularly cut itself off from the outside world and is tending to withdraw towards its immense domestic needs; the inevitable internal debates, which we suspect will be particularly acute, are shrouded in great opacity; and in this tense atmosphere, Western reactions could make things even more dangerously tense.

The participants agreed on this disenchanted diagnosis. All the more reason to refine a strong and persevering European position.”

Read the issue brief by Ambassador Philippe Coste (in French)