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 published on Tuesday.

The European Tech Insights 2025 survey, conducted by IE University's Center for the Governance of Change in Spain, found that 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 U.S., especially in defending its strategic and technological interests.

The report showed strong support for closer ties with China in Southern Europe. In Spain, 52.8 percent of respondents said Europe should side with China – the highest share among the ten countries surveyed. Italy followed with 35 percent and France with 31.3 percent. Support in these countries has also risen significantly compared with 2023.

However, the report suggests that this shift does not signal a straightforward geopolitical pivot. A majority of respondents believe the continent should avoid confrontation and instead pursue a more balanced or autonomous position in its foreign relations.

Country-level data show that while preferences for closer ties with the U.S. remain dominant in much of northern and Eastern Europe, support has weakened considerably. In Germany, 72 percent of respondents favored closer relations with the U.S., down from 84 percent in 2023. In Poland and the United Kingdom, support dropped to 79.8 percent and 78.9 percent, respectively.

The generational divide is especially striking: nearly 40 percent of Europeans aged 18 to 24 said they would prefer Europe to side with China, compared with 22.6 percent among those aged 65 and over.

The report also identifies clear limits to public support for reducing economic dependence on China. Across Europe, only 39.9 percent of respondents said they would accept higher prices for technology products – such as smartphones, computers and electric vehicles to 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.

The report was authored by a research team that includes Diego Rubio, current director of the Office of the Presidency of the Spanish Government, along with other researchers from IE University.