【Episode Description】

NATO has experienced huge challenges and profound structural transition. During the Ankara Summit in July, European members promised to significantly increase defense spending, showing that NATO is undergoing an evolution from burden sharing to responsibility transfer.

This summit is regarded as a historic turning point in the transition of “NATO 2.0” into “NATO 3.0”, reflecting that the transatlantic relationship enters a new era and the development of NATO may face new challenges.

What did the Ankara Summit leave behind? What does “NATO 3.0” means? Can higher defense spending produce strategic autonomy for Europe? Where is the transatlantic alliance heading? Against the background of major power competition and strategic transition of the U.S., a stronger and independent Europe is both a strategic goal and real needs.

In this episode of the ChinaVoice, we invite SONG Yanan from SOAS University of London, analyze the outcomes of the summit, the development of “NATO 3.0”, the expectations of the U.S., the future of European defense autonomy, the prospect of future transatlantic relationship, as well as the potential influence on China-Europe relationship.

【Host】

SUN Chenghao, Senior Fellow and Associate Professor, Center for International Security and Strategy, Tsinghua University

【Guest】

SONG Yanan, Associate Professor, Department of Global Politics, SOAS University of London

【Shownotes】

02:31 Definition of the Summit: Strategic Rebalancing

05:01 Assessment of the Outcomes of the Summit

06:23 Whether Europe can deliver the promises is the real question

07:50 Definition of NATO 3.0: redivision of labor within the alliance

09:37 U.S. pressure on Europe reflects structural strategic shift rather than personal political style

12:44 Assessment of European Military Autonomy in the Future

16:03 Assessment of Transatlantic Defense Relationship in the Future

19:19 Prospect of Future Transatlantic Alliance

24:23 Europe will coordinate rather than completely align with the U.S. on China issues

25:08 The transatlantic alliance will be more balanced, more European and fundamentally transatlantic

【Team】

Executive Producer: SUN Chenghao

Producer: WANG Yinuo, LI Yining

Content Editor: LI Yijie, WANG Yexu, ZHANG Xueyu

Graphics Designer: ZHANG Xueyu

【Episode Description】

Over the past year, European discourse on China has increasingly prioritized concepts such as economic security, de-risking, and industrial resilience, reflecting a significant shift in bilateral dynamics.

Since the European Union officially defined China as a partner, competitor and systemic rival in 2019, the relationship has navigated a complex and often turbulent path. What are the structural sources driving current tensions, and how do issues like trade imbalances, investment hesitations, and the Ukraine crisis complicate the landscape?

Furthermore, to what extent is Europe’s cautious approach rooted in an over-securitization of economic issues, driven by internal anxieties over sluggish growth and declining industrial competitiveness? As the EU's 27 member states navigate internal divisions to formulate a cohesive policy, maintaining pragmatic engagement remains crucial.

In this episode of the ChinaVoice, we deeply engaged in China-Europe relations dissect the realities of European policymaking, the operational environment for Chinese enterprises in Europe, the mechanisms needed to prevent frictions from escalating into strategic confrontation, and the enduring necessity for bilateral cooperation in global governance, green transition and artificial intelligence.

【Host】

SUN Chenghao, Senior Fellow, Center for International Security and Strategy, Tsinghua University

【Guest】

LIANG Linlin, Director of Communication and Research of China Chamber of Commerce to the EU

【Shownotes】

02:24 Is Europe Echoing Washington's China Debate?

05:46 The EU's "Partner, Competitor, Systemic Rival" Framework

10:54 Three Major Sources of Bilateral Tension

13:42 Unpacking Europe's "Irrational Anxiety" and Economic Security

19:24 Internal Debates within the EU on Trade and Tech

24:53 Managing Friction: Dialogues and Mechanisms

30:14 Global Governance: Finding Room for China-EU Cooperation

【Team】

Executive Producer: SUN Chenghao

Producer: LI Yining, WANG Yinuo

Content Editor: ZHANG Xueyu, LI Yijie, WANG Yexu

Graphics Designer: ZHANG Xueyu

Episode Description

Over the past ten years, the narrative of strategic competition has dominated the development of Sino-U.S. relationship. But at the same time, both China and the U.S. need and are needed to cooperate to solve the geopolitical conflicts and promote global governance. During U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to China after 9 years, a new concept proposed by China, a constructive China-U.S. relationship of strategic stability, was accepted by the U.S. and laid the foundation for the development of future bilateral relationship. What are the goals and evaluation for China and the U.S. regarding this Summit? Can this new strategic positioning improve Sino-U.S. relationship? As Sino-U.S. relationship has become one of the most important bilateral relationships in the world, keep high-level and institutional communication may itself inject momentum into global peace and development. In the first episode of the ChinaVoice, scholars with extensive Sino-U.S. study experience analyze the outcomes of the summit, the expectations of both countries, the significance of the new strategic positioning, balance between strategic competition and cooperation on global governance, as well as the prospects for bilateral relationship.

【Host】

·SUN Chenghao, Senior Fellow, Center for International Security and Strategy, Tsinghua University

【Guest】

·SUN Bingyan, Assistant Professor, Department of International Politics, University of International Relations

【Shownotes】

03:17 Definition of the Summit: Stabilization vs. Temporary Easing

08:26 China’s expectations from the Summit

10:50 The Summit has met China’s target

14:50 The signals released by new strategic positioning

21:29 U.S.’ expectations from the Summit

22:43 Trump takes the Summit seriously and treats China differently

26:06 The G2 Concept and China’s Reluctance

30:12 China and U. S. positions on Iran issues

31:37 Potential challenges for future China-U.S. relationship

【Team】

Executive Producer: SUN Chenghao

Producer: WANG Yinuo, LI Yining

Content Editor: ZHANG Xueyu, LI Yijie, WANG Yexu

Graphics Designer: ZHANG Xueyu