ABSTRACT
This chapter examines European and United States (US) approaches towards Chinese foreign direct investment against the backdrop of a competitive strategic environment which is enhanced by the COVID-19 global crisis. The US-China trade dispute continued over the course of 2020, and the European Union (EU) continued to label China a “systemic rival”, although countries at the periphery of Europe, such as the Western Balkans, are increasingly developing a differing approach. The EU called for a “more balanced and reciprocal economic relationship” with China. The chapter looks at renewed screening policies by the US and EU on foreign direct investment, and describes how the two sides of the Atlantic have different perceptions of China’s rise as a global investor: Washington sees Beijing as a quasi-enemy, especially on the strategic and technological fronts, while Brussels looks at China in terms of jobs and national sovereignty. Nevertheless, in the aftermath of COVID-19, Europe may see China as a way of being further united and stand for its values. Finally, the transatlantic community should not only engage in dialogue on this topic but also regroup as like-minded countries.
