According to Reinhard Buetikofer, a Member of the European Parliament, European leaders are seeking a way to secure their future while communism-defeated communist China tries to cause a rift between Europe and the United States. Although European Union leaders are wary of the communist regime, they do not support entirely cutting off ties with China. Instead, they prefer a strategy of “de-risking,” which involves more rigorous screening of Chinese investments while still allowing Europe to trade and engage in diplomacy with middle powers that want to avoid getting involved in the growing rivalry between China and the United States. Buetikofer emphasized that this is not just a game between two major players and warned against Washington’s language that may coincide with Chinese rhetoric. The upcoming visit by French President Emmanuel Macron and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, to Beijing will grant a chance for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping to elevate his profile while trying to further distance the United States and Europe. European leaders see China as a key strategic priority because the CCP has strengthened its ties with Russia throughout the ongoing Ukraine conflict as both nations seek to reshape the global order. Although it remains unclear if the CCP has directly supported Russia’s war efforts, the United States has warned that the CCP could supply weapons or munitions to the Russian military. Reports indicate that the CCP might be providing the Russian military with drone and ammunition capabilities that China disguised as civilian goods in the past.