Global Governance in the Era of Growing US-China Rivalry: What Options Exist for Europe?

Abstract

The United States-China relations are increasingly fraught with problems and contentious issues. One significant example is the current system of global governance, which the United States wants to bolster in order to maintain its predominant position; China, meanwhile, is seeking a greater say in this system and has also been building the pillars of a parallel structure. One consequence is that global governance will likely become more challenging, for third parties such as Europe as well. This article examines Europe’s options for coping with these challenges. It presents three alternatives – namely, to continue siding with the United States, to change sides and align with China, and to launch a neutral issue-specific approach. After weighing the respective pros and cons of each option, the article makes the case for the issue-specific approach.