Unveiling the Chinese understanding of European strategic autonomy and its policy implications: An insight from scholarly literature in China

Abstract Chinese analysts have paid close attention to the concept of European strategic autonomy (ESA). This is largely motivated by China’s long-held vision of a multipolar world wherein Europe is defined as one major pillar. To better reveal the Chinese understanding of ESA, this research adopts a combination of bibliometric analysis and documentary analysis of Chinese scholarly literature. Two takeaways can be drawn from this study. Firstly, China’s perception or expectation of ESA in terms of goals, scope, and approaches differs considerably from Europe’s practice. Secondly, China’s attitude toward ESA has evolved over time and across different domains and has grown increasingly ambivalent. Although the overall China-EU relationship is unlikely to experience a sharp turn in the near future, Chinese policymakers should be more realistic and better prepared for major changes because the EU has been readjusting its China policy in its quest for ESA.