Belgium: Balancing between ambitious discourse and policy inertia

Since European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s speech in March 2023, Belgian policymakers have become increasingly aware of the need to manage the risks linked to a persistently unbalanced Sino-Belgian relationship. In this regard, the de-risking approach encouraged at the European level by the Economic Security Strategy is perceived as a viable alternative to a decoupling scenario. This stance particularly resonates with private sector economic interests and Belgium’s identity as an open economy. However, in a nation renowned for its internal intricacies, most of the policy debates in Belgium converge in a continuing turf war over competencies. Amid this internal fragmentation, developing and implementing a coherent China strategy remains an elusive task permeated by short-sightedness, reluctance, ambiguity, and a severe lack of much-needed expertise and resources.