The Future of Europe in the Context of Sino-American Competition - Foreword
In this special issue of Politique étrangère devoted to the proceedings of the conference organized by Ifri on April 10, 2019, in the Grand Amphitheater of the Sorbonne, on the occasion of its fortieth anniversary, discover the speech by Bruno Le Maire, Minister of Economy and Finance.
I am very happy to open this conference on the future of Europe on Ifri's 40th anniversary. First, I would like to thank and pay tribute to Thierry de Montbrial who founded Ifri in 1979. You have created, Thierry de Montbrial, one of the most influential international think tanks in Europe and perhaps the world. Above all, French power is asserted through our ideas. And our ideas in the international sphere can be upheld when we are able to establish institutions like Ifri. For 40 years, you have been providing reason, information and analysis on these foreign and diplomatic topics that are so important. We are all proud of Ifri and I wanted to tell you.
Let us go back to the world situation 40 years ago, in the spring of 1979, because it is interesting to see where we are coming from and where we have succeeded.
Forty years of changes
Forty years ago, we were in the midst of the Cold War, and the United States was an unfailing ally of Europeans. China was a distant country impoverished by 30 years of Maoism, although there were still some fanatical Maoists at the Sorbonne to defend this record. China had just begun to open up its economy. As for Europe, it had its future ahead of it. It continued to expand, consolidate and become richer. Things were simple and they seemed like a given forevermore. In 1989, this feeling of power and stability was increased by the fall of the Berlin Wall. We thought that, once and for all, the model of liberal democracy had prevailed in the world and that the coming years and decades would be decades of peace and democracy. Instead, we have had wars and rising authoritarianism. Optimism has changed sides.
Nowadays, we are seeing a China that is constantly asserting its power, at breathtaking speed. I am not forgetting the President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping's comments, alongside Chancellor Angela Merkel, the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, and the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, a few days ago in Paris. With a hint of irony or provocation, he said: “Ladies and Gentlemen Westerners, do you realize that we have succeeded in building in 40 years what took you three centuries to achieve?” So, China is asserting its power with a very simple concept, the “New Silk Roads”, both appealing and tempting, but also threatening for some aspects of European sovereignty.
On other hand, the unfailing US ally, which for some represents the absolute pillar of security, the protection of Europe, has become at best indifferent and at worst threatening. We have just seen this recently with President Donald Trump's remarks about necessary retaliation in the case between Boeing and Airbus. […]
Bruno Le Maire is Minister of Economy and Finance of France.
Available in:
Themes and regions
Share
This page contains only a summary of our work. If you would like to have access to all the information from our research on the subject, you can download the full version in PDF format.
The Future of Europe in the Context of Sino-American Competition - Foreword
Iran: Anatomy of a Power at War
The elimination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several high-ranking officials at the outset of the 2026 American-Israeli operation did not succeed in bringing down the Iranian regime. The regime had prepared for such a scenario, notably by decentralizing its structures. Moreover, it continues to adapt to war. The power of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is growing at the expense of the Shiite clergy. The security apparatus defends the country’s sovereignty and justifies its actions in the name of raison d’état.
“Remodeling” the Middle East?
Chaos continues to spread, seemingly without end, across the Middle East. The Israeli-American attack on Iran has resulted in a clear military and diplomatic failure, but it is paving the way for a regional realignment, the consequences of which remain uncertain. New regional groupings are taking shape, either centered around Israel or built on the prospect of coexistence with Tehran, alongside a decline in American influence and the marginalization of Europe, while China maintains a low-key presence.
Silicon Valley and War: Lessons from Ukraine
Over the course of international conflicts, and particularly in Ukraine, major tech companies have emerged as central actors. Initially subject to wartime maneuvering, they have since become decisive actors in their own right, privatizing a significant share of wartime exchanges, shaping the information flows of societies, and presenting themselves as providers of security. This situation raises important questions about states’ autonomy in making decisions and taking action.
Does Artificial Intelligence Change the Nature of War?
From Gaza to Ukraine and Iran, current conflicts are being shaped by the arrival of artificial intelligence and robots on the battlefield. The changes under way are so profound that humans risk rapidly losing control over entire aspects of the conduct of military operations. While these technological developments are altering the character of war, their impact on the very nature of war itself remains a matter of debate.