US-China Relations European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a news conference in Brussels, Belgium, on February 12. Von der Leyen has pledged to lead a “geopolitical commission”, where reinforcing the EU’s role as a relevant international actor is a key priority. Photo: Reuters Opinion Li Xing As US-China rivalry sharpens, the EU must strike a pragmatic balance between its values and interests Facing both US exceptionalism and Chinese assertiveness, Europe must vigorously defend its own interests in security and other areas And, as a defender of liberal idealism, the EU also wants to uphold the values and norms it historically and culturally shares with the US