US Secretary of State Antony Blinken‘s first videoconference with European Union international ministers final month was so good humoured that some diplomats in Europe described it as a “love fest”.

However two senior envoys who attended mentioned there was no direct response from the ministers gathered in Brussels when Blinken mentioned: “We should push again on China collectively and present energy in unity.”

Their reticence is partly because of an unwillingness to decide to something till Washington spells out extra absolutely its China coverage beneath President Joe Biden.

However the ministers have been additionally cautious as a result of the EU is searching for a strategic stability in relations with Beijing and Washington that ensures the bloc will not be so carefully allied with one of many world’s two massive powers that it alienates the opposite.

The EU additionally hopes to have sufficient independence from Washington and Beijing to have the ability by itself to deepen ties with nations within the Indo-Pacific area similar to India, Japan and Australia, EU officers mentioned.

In a brand new departure for the EU, they mentioned, the bloc hopes to agree a plan subsequent month that includes a bigger and extra assertive safety presence within the Indo-Pacific, and extra growth help, commerce and diplomacy.”We’re charting a 3rd method between Washington and Beijing,” an EU envoy in Asia mentioned.One other EU official in Asia expressed concern that the United States had “a hawkish agenda in opposition to China, which isn’t our agenda”.

‘EUROPE ROADSHOW’
Final month’s videoconference was a part of an try beneath Biden to rebuild alliances uncared for by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who had an antagonistic relationship with each the EU and China.

The White Home has launched into a “Europe roadshow”, a senior U.S. official mentioned, and is in day by day contact with European governments about China’s rising energy, in “a sustained effort for … a excessive diploma of coordination and cooperation in quite a lot of areas.”

In an indication that the U.S. push on China is having an impression, Germany plans to ship a frigate in August to Asia and throughout the South China Sea, the place Beijing has army outposts on synthetic islands, senior authorities officers advised Reuters.

The EU can also be set to sanction 4 Chinese language officers and one entity – with journey bans and asset freezes – on March 22 over human rights abuses in China’s Uighur Muslim minority, diplomats mentioned.

In an additional signal, when Chinese language President Xi Jinping chaired a video summit with central and japanese European nations final month, six EU member states – Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovenia – despatched ministers reasonably than heads of state.

However there’s nonetheless mistrust in Brussels of Washington’s method to China, even when attitudes in Europe have hardened in opposition to China over Beijing’s crackdown in Hong Kong, therapy of Uighur Muslims and the COVID-19 pandemic, first recognized in China.

The US says China is an authoritarian nation that has launched into a army modernisation that threatens the West, and has sought to weaken telecommunications gear maker Huawei, which it sees as a nationwide safety risk.

The U.S.-led NATO army alliance can also be starting to concentrate on China, however Biden’s administration remains to be reviewing coverage.

“We ask what their China technique is and so they say they nonetheless haven’t got one,” the EU official in Asia mentioned.

French President Emmanuel Macron highlighted considerations in some EU states final month by saying that uniting in opposition to China would create “the very best potential” potential for battle.

‘NO ALTERNATIVE’
However the EU is hungry for brand spanking new commerce and sees the Indo-Pacific as providing large potential.

The EU has a commerce take care of Japan and is negotiating one with Australia. Diplomats say nations within the Indo-Pacific need the EU to be extra energetic within the area to maintain commerce free and open, and to make sure they don’t seem to be left going through a straight selection between Beijing and Washington.

France dedicated to nearer ties with allies similar to Australia and India with an Indo-Pacific technique in 2018, adopted by the Netherlands, which additionally has its personal technique, and Germany’s looser set of “tips”.

The EU technique, if agreed, might contain placing extra EU army specialists in EU diplomatic missions in Asia, coaching coast guards and sending extra EU army personnel to serve on Australian ships patrolling within the Indian Ocean, diplomats mentioned.

It’s unclear how a lot Germany, which has shut enterprise ties to China, will decide to any new technique. German authorities officers say the EU can not afford to alienate Beijing regardless of labelling China a “systemic rival” in 2019.

However French International Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian will journey to India in April to develop the EU’s Indo-Pacific technique, and the EU goals to carry a summit with India this yr.

France, which has 1.8 million residents in Pacific abroad territories, has about 4,000 troops within the area, plus navy ships and patrol boats.

“The Indo-Pacific is the cornerstone of Europe’s geopolitical path,” mentioned a French diplomat. “There is not any various.”