Ivano di Carlo, a senior policy analyst at the European Policy Centre in Brussels, said that the Five Eyes countries had operated in a relatively predictable US policy environment under the Biden administration. But with Trump in the White House, “that certainty has faded amid more erratic messaging and actions”.

According to Carlo, this shift was unlikely to prompt countries to turn away from the alliance but it may strengthen incentives for governments and businesses to pursue a more “pragmatic re-engagement with China”.

“There is a hope that things will change given the importance of the U.S. for us ... but there is a realisation now that we are a bit more alone in this world,” said Ivano di Carlo, a senior policy analyst at the European Policy Centre.

Three-day forum co-hosted by CCG and CPAFFC brought together over 300 participants from nearly 60 countries to explore global governance, China-EU relations, and the evolving Middle East order.

Colonel Nalin Herath, Director General of the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), recently concluded a significant visit to Nepal, where he engaged with scholars, policymakers, and thought leaders on pressing regional issues, including climate security and geopolitical resilience in South Asia.

Beijing has been outpacing Brussels in the so-called Global South. Now the EU must rethink its global game plan.

In the European Parliament elections held in June, pro-European Union (EU) parties promoting European integration secured the parliamentary majority needed to approve the next structure of key EU institutions.

Following the election results, the European Council (the EU summit) announced the appointments of key EU institutions on June 27 (see figure). Ursula von der Leyen, the current President of the European Commission, was re-appointed.

On Monday, 11 May 2026, a Beijing session of the EU-China Think Tank Exchanges, funded by the European Union, was held at the Beijing Administrative Centre office of the Center for China and Globalization (CCG). The event was jointly organised by CCG, the programme’s only Chinese co-beneficiary, and the European Policy Centre (EPC).

The People's Republic of China (PRC) held its annual "Two Sessions" meeting in the first weeks of March—the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). It was the first meeting of this level since the Third Plenum of the Communist Party of China Central Committee held in July 2024, which was significant because it focused on the country's budget and economic planning.

Back in May 2000, The Economist labelled Africa the “hopeless continent,” reflecting a widespread sentiment in the West, not least in Europe. Ironically, just five months later, China hosted the first Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), quietly building on its existing ties to lay the groundwork for what would become a strong and transformative economic and political presence. Beijing went on to eventually reshape not only large parts of the African continent, but also much of the so-called Global South. 

The world is undergoing rapid transformations, marked by escalating conflicts, geoeconomic fragmentation and geopolitical volatility. From wars spreading across regions to the emergence of more assertive countries and the return of Donald Trump to the White House, posing yet another challenge, the EU will likely have to navigate through significant and unexpected changes in the coming years.

Despite heightened political and economic tensions, diplomatic contacts remained frequent, although the EU adopted a more assertive stance.