A staff member operates a robot to collect data in a cafe scenario at a humanoid robot innovation center in Wuhan East Lake High-tech Development Zone, also known as the optics valley of China, in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Dec. 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)
The European Tech Insights 2025 survey found that 29 percent of Europeans now prefer Europe to side with China, up from 14 percent in 2023.
MADRID, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- Public support for closer ties between Europe and China has risen sharply, while calls are growing for a tougher European stance toward the United States and U.S. Big Tech firms, according to a recent report.
The European Tech Insights 2025survey,conducted by IE University's Center for the Governance of Change in Spain,foundthat 29 percent of Europeans now prefer Europe to side with China, up from 14 percent in 2023. At the same time, a significant share of respondents believe Europe should adopt a firmer position toward the United States,especiallyin defending its strategic and technological interests.
The report published on Tuesday showed strong support for closer ties with China in Southern Europe. In Spain,52.8 percentof respondents saidEurope should side with China - the highestshareamong the ten countries surveyed. Italy followed with 35 percent and France with 31.3 percent. Supportin these countries has also risen significantly compared with 2023.
Photo taken on Oct. 19, 2021 shows the IE Tower (R) in Madrid, Spain. The IE Tower, a new teaching building for IE University, was inaugurated in Madrid on Tuesday. With a height of 180 meters, the building has 35 floors and covers an area of 50,000 square meters, making it the third tallest teaching building in the world. (Xinhua/Meng Dingbo)
However, the report suggests thatthisshiftdoes not signal a straightforward geopolitical pivot. A majority of respondentsbelieve the continent shouldavoidconfrontationand instead pursue a more balanced or autonomous positionin itsforeignrelations.
Country-level data show that while preferences for closer ties with the United States remain dominant in much of northern and Eastern Europe,supporthasweakenedconsiderably. In Germany, 72 percent of respondents favored closerrelations with the United States, down from 84 percent in 2023. In Poland and the United Kingdom, supportdropped to 79.8 percent and 78.9 percent, respectively.
The generational divide is especially striking:nearly 40 percentof Europeansaged 18 to 24saidthey would prefer Europe to side with China, compared with 22.6 percent among those aged 65 and over.
Inbound passengers pose for photos while waiting for border inspection procedures at Haikou Meilan International Airport in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Dec. 18, 2025. China on Thursday launched island-wide special customs operations in the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP). (Photo by Sun Haorong/Xinhua)
The report alsoidentifies clear limitsto public support for reducing economic dependence on China.Across Europe,only 39.9 percent of respondentssaidthey would accept higher prices for technology products - such as smartphones, computers, and electric vehiclesto reduce reliance on China. In comparison, 60.1 percent oppose such a move.
The poll surveyed more than 3,000 adults in ten European countries - Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and Britain, with samples representative by age, gender, region, and education level. (1 euro = 1.09 U.S. dollar)
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