This talk examines how the EU uses de-risking not only as an economic security instrument, but also as a means of projecting itself as an autonomous actor vis-à-vis the United States, a defusing force in Sino-American competition, and a norm broker in global economic governance. In doing so, the EU implicitly casts China as an equal, responsible, and normatively aligned partner expected to contribute constructively to the management of trade-war dynamics.

The talk addresses the perception gap between these European role projections and Chinese understandings of de-risking. Drawing on role theory and perceptual approaches, it argues that Chinese perspectives largely reject the EU’s self-image and altercasting efforts, instead framing de-risking as a US-driven containment strategy lacking both stabilising intent and normative legitimacy. The analysis therefore highlights the growing divergence in how both sides interpret the purpose and implications of de-risking.

The talk will take place in room 2.09, in Bush House South East wing.

SPEAKER

Andreea Budeanu is a political scientist and sinologist, and Senior Research Associate at the Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy (CSDS, Vrije Universiteit Brussel) and the French Research Institute on East Asia (IFRAE, CNRS). She previously held positions at INALCO Paris, Jean Moulin Lyon 3 University, Peking University, and National Political Science (Chengchi) University. Her research focuses on China’s foreign policy and economic development, Europe–China and Taiwan–Europe relations, EU’s foreign policy, alliances in IR, economic security, norm diffusion and processes of state socialisation in the context of great powers rivalry. Her work has appeared in the Journal of European Integration, European Journal of International Security, and The Pacific Review.

CHAIR

Dr Olivia Cheung is Lecturer in Politics at the Department of European & International Studies and Affiliate of the Lau China Institute at King’s College London. She is also China Fellow at the Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy at the Brussels School of Governance, Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Previously, she was Research Fellow at the China Institute of SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies), University of London, and Teaching Fellow at the University of Warwick. She obtained the MPhil and DPhil in Politics from the University of Oxford as a Swire Scholar and Rhodes Scholar.