European strategies for the Indo-Pacific are characterized by a fundamental divergence from the U.S. approach, actively seeking an independent, yet coordinated, role.

While Europe fundamentally aligns with the U.S. on upholding a rules-based order, freedom of navigation, and containing China's authoritarian influence, its strategy is anchored in "strategic autonomy" and "de-risking," contrasting sharply with the more overt security focus and occasional calls for "decoupling" from Washington.

 The EU's goal is to position itself as a "third way" that can engage the region economically and diplomatically without being drawn into a pure geopolitical and military confrontation.

1. The Core European Ambition: Strategic Autonomy

The main objective of the EU's (2021) and individual European nations' Indo-Pacific strategies is to assert strategic autonomy from both Washington and Beijing. This is not a position of equidistance, but a determined effort to define and protect European interests based on their unique identity and capabilities.

Divergence from U.S. Security Prioritization

The U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy is overwhelmingly focused on military deterrence and forming security alliances (e.g., the Quad, AUKUS) to manage the threat of Chinese military aggression. Europe's strategy, by contrast, is multidimensional and predominantly economic and normative:

• U.S. Focus: Security, hard deterrence, alliances, and the military balance of power.

• EU Focus: Connectivity (Global Gateway), Green Transition (climate action), Ocean Governance, digital partnerships, and multilateralism.

European leaders, notably French President Emmanuel Macron, have consistently warned against becoming "vassals" in a U.S.-China bipolar world, arguing that Europe must maintain its own analytical and decision-making independence. This reflects a deep-seated belief that a purely security-driven approach risks escalating tensions and fracturing the global economic system on which Europe's prosperity relies.

2. Economic Strategy: De-risking vs. Decoupling

The most visible policy distinction between the two sides of the Atlantic is the approach to economic ties with China, which is the heart of the Pacific rivalry.

The EU's "De-risking" Policy

The EU's economic strategy is defined by "de-risking, not decoupling." This means:

• Reducing Vulnerabilities: Systematically identifying and reducing over-reliance on China for critical raw materials, semiconductors, and other strategically sensitive technologies.

• Diversifying Supply Chains: Actively seeking alternative partners in the Indo-Pacific (e.g., India, Vietnam, South Korea) to ensure supply chain resilience.

• Maintaining Trade: European elites emphasize that China is a vital trading partner and that a complete break (decoupling) is economically unfeasible and undesirable. They want to compete and push for a "level playing field" without closing the door to all commercial exchange.

Alignment and Tension with the U.S.

While the U.S. has increasingly adopted the "de-risking" language, its underlying policy often involves more aggressive actions, such as sweeping export controls and investment restrictions on high-tech sectors, which European industry finds difficult to navigate. European elites see U.S. actions, sometimes driven by protectionism (e.g., the Inflation Reduction Act), as a potential threat to the open global trading system and a move toward forced, costly economic bifurcation that they wish to avoid.

3. Security and Defense Alignment: The "Resident Power" Factor

Despite the economic divergence, there is a clear convergence on key security principles driven by a shared commitment to the rules-based international order.

Alignment on Principles and Freedom of Navigation

European navies, particularly those of France, the United Kingdom, and Germany, have significantly increased their military presence and exercises in the Indo-Pacific. These deployments—including Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPs) in the South China Sea—align with the U.S. goal of challenging China's expansive maritime claims and upholding international law.

• Shared Interests: Both the U.S. and Europe share an interest in maintaining open sea lanes, which are crucial for over 40% of Europe’s foreign trade.

• Coordination: European naval assets often participate in exercises with the U.S. and its regional allies (Japan, Australia, South Korea), demonstrating a practical level of interoperability and shared deterrence.

The Independent Role of France

France is the primary driver of the independent European security role, due to its status as a "resident power" with overseas territories, citizens, and over 7,000 permanently stationed military personnel in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

• Sovereign Interests: France's strategy is driven first by the need to defend its own sovereign territory and the world's second-largest Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

• Rejection of Bloc Logic: The AUKUS debacle (where the U.S. and U.K. undercut a major French submarine deal with Australia) served as a strong warning to European elites about the unreliability of U.S. unilateralism and reinforced the French resolve to offer a security model "beyond any logic of blocks."

4. The Role of Germany and Internal Divisions

European unity on the Indo-Pacific remains a work in progress, often constrained by the contrasting interests of key member states.

Germany's Economic Caution

Germany, as Europe's largest economy, has historically adopted a more cautious approach, prioritizing economic diplomacy and limiting direct political confrontation with Beijing.

• Late to the Game: Germany was slower than France to develop a formal Indo-Pacific strategy (2020), which was primarily an "export-oriented" document focused on trade diversification.

• Cautious Security Role: While Germany has deployed a frigate and air force assets to the region, its military role is typically less forward-leaning than France's, reflecting a desire to support the rules-based order without fully joining the U.S.-led security efforts.

The China-Russia Factor

The war in Ukraine has dramatically increased alignment between the U.S. and Europe on the geopolitical threat posed by the China-Russia strategic axis. China’s failure to condemn Russia and its continued support for the war effort has hardened European elite opinion, making a purely economic approach politically untenable and pushing the EU closer to U.S. positions on human rights and geopolitical risk.

A Complex and Evolving Non-Alignment

European strategies in the Indo-Pacific are best described as a complex, selective alignment with the U.S. on core democratic values and security principles, coupled with a determined pursuit of strategic independence on economic and diplomatic terms.

• Alignment: On values (democracy, human rights), maritime security (FONOPs), and the need to counter China’s coercion.

• Independence: On economic policy ("de-risking" not "decoupling"), diplomatic engagement ("third way" partnerships), and avoiding a military confrontation in the Pacific theater.

This dual approach is ultimately a form of risk hedging. By avoiding full military entanglement while shoring up economic resilience, European elites hope to both influence the regional order and protect their long-term prosperity, regardless of whether U.S. policy under a future administration shifts toward isolationism or radical decoupling.