Geopoliticisation of EU trade policy: Assessing the origins of EU renew assertiveness in global trade

This paper seeks to identify the discursive roots of EU multifaceted approach to unveil key insights about the origins of the ongoing geopoliticization process. As the war in Ukraine rage, the EU sets up new frames such as "EU geopolitical awakening". This shift from normative to strategic focus may lead to rethink the EU’s engagement to the world, especially with China. Against this background, this research posits that "strategic turn" priors the war in Ukraine and delves into its discursive roots. Thus, this chapter aims at understanding the genesis of the EU geopoliticization. Based on Global Political Economy (GPE) theoretical input and geopoliticization concept this chapter relies on a case study analysis: the framing of China as a systemic rival. This study offers a diachronic discourse analysis of EU economic diplomacy toward China and the way it has led to the current multifaceted approach. Data collection encompasses 110 official documents analyses through computer assisted mixed method. Findings enable a new understanding of EU geopoliticization process by spotting its genesis into intra-institutional debate. This research delivers an analytical framework to comprehend complex decision-making leading to EU trade diplomacy. Ultimately, it opens a research agenda on geopoliticization scrutinizing internal debate rather than pure geopolitical focus.