EU’s China policy should avoid lose-lose trap

February 23, 2024

BEIJING – The 60th Munich Security Conference’s annual report, titled “Lose-Lose?”, marks a significant shift from the “best times” of globalization to what is now being called the “worst times”. The transition signifies a departure from the focus on absolute gains and mutually beneficial cooperation among economies to an era dominated by relative gains and geopolitical competition. The concept of “lose-lose” encapsulates this shift in the international system’s underlying logic.

For more than a decade, the MSC has set its theme in its annual reports, with recent years’ reports highlighting themes such as “post-truth, post-West, post-order”. However, this year’s report delves deeper into the global dynamics, emphasizing the “lose-lose” dilemma that stems from the flawed postwar order.

It reflects the discontent of the countries of the Global South and the Global North, as the former have not received their due benefits and the developed Western countries resent their shrinking share in the global economy and diminishing say in global governance. This narrative draws from the cultural roots of Western civilization, which considers human nature and power as inherently evil, leading to a zero-sum mindset and a lose-lose outcome.

The rhetoric employed by the conference’s organizers mirrors the strategy of predicting the worst possible outcome while reluctantly accepting the reality of the case, akin to a physician’s prognosis. By using global concerns to advantage and resorting to rhetoric, the MSC aims to promote peace through dialogue amid growing geopolitical rivalry and economic uncertainty, the MSC Ambassador Dr. Christoph Heusgen thus stated.

However, behind the creation of terminologies lies the