Date/Time
Date(s) - 19/11/2025
11:00 - 13:30
Location
Press Club Brussels Europe
Categories
The link to the registration form is the following:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScIYJTwWS-aOq6wEg9xGPiEIbQg-0ZWqxfgR7AQqggzXKtuaA/viewform
The United States (US)–China rivalry has become the defining feature of international politics. While the primary arena of competition remains the Indo-Pacific, the rivalry has global
repercussions, from trade and technology to diplomacy and military posture. For Europe, the competition raises fundamental questions about its security, prosperity and role in the global
order.
The European Union (EU) officially defines China as a “strategic partner, economic competitor and systemic rival”. Washington’s increasing focus on competition with Beijing, coupled with debates in the US over support for Ukraine, creates uncertainty in Europe. As the rivalry intensifies, Europe finds itself caught between its transatlantic commitments and its aspiration for greater strategic autonomy. At the same time, Beijing seeks to exploit transatlantic frictions while positioning itself as indispensable in areas such as technology supply chains and global governance.
Against this backdrop, this public event brings together experts from the Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy (CSDS) and the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies to discuss the military, technological and political dimensions of the rivalry, and it will provide a comprehensive assessment of the implications for Europe, reflecting on the following
questions:
• How does US–China military competition in the Indo-Pacific shape transatlantic
security priorities?
• What risks and opportunities does US-China technology competition create for
Europe’s strategic autonomy?
• How should Europe navigate the political and diplomatic pressures of bipolar
competition, balancing transatlantic ties with its autonomy ambitions?
PROGRAMME
Welcome remarks
Luis Simón, Director, Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy – VUB
Panel Discussion
Moderator
Daniel Fiott, Head, Defence and Statecraft, Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy – VUB
Speakers
Antonio Calcara, Head, Geopolitics and Technology, Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy – VUB
Giulia Tercovich, Deputy Director, Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy – VUB
Øystein Tunsjø, Head, Asia Programme, Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies
Link to the Programme: https://csds.vub.be/event/caught-in-the-middle-us-china-competition-and-the-implications-for-europe/