This Symposium unites European & Asian experts to discuss how small & middle powers can counter China’s hybrid threats & strengthen defence.
How can small and middle powers (SMPs) in Europe and Asia effectively respond to the evolving hybrid threat posed by China?
This symposium seeks to answer this question by exploring China’s growing use of hybrid threat activities, the responses of SMPs, and opportunities for greater collaboration between Europe and Asia in addressing challenges associated with these activities.
While Europe is well-versed in the hybrid threats posed by Russia, there is still limited understanding of China’s activities on the continent. How do Beijing’s hybrid threat activities differ from Moscow’s? What can Europe learn from Asian SMPs? Understanding the hybrid threat dynamics across the two regions is essential, as they present unique challenges to the political stability, economic security, and digital resilience of SMPs.
Hybrid threats are an increasingly prominent feature of international competition, compelling SMPs across both regions to develop defence strategies that address a broad spectrum of activities that fall below the threshold of conventional war. These activities include the use of economic influence to shape political decision-making, cyber espionage aimed at critical infrastructure, and the spread of disinformation to undermine social cohesion and public trust in democratic institutions. Hybrid tactics, although less overt than traditional military aggression, can significantly destabilise target states and shape geopolitical outcomes.
The symposium addresses these themes by featuring expert-led panels to examine how China’s hybrid threat activities have evolved over time and what this means for the security of SMPs in Europe and Asia. The focus will also be on identifying effective responses to these threats, exploring both regional and global approaches for strengthening the resilience of SMPs in Asia and Europe.
The event will bring together scholars, policy experts, and practitioners from both regions to deepen understanding of hybrid threats and their implications for small and middle powers.
Event details:
- Date: 16 December 2025
- Time: 15.00 – 17.00 CET
- Location: HCSS, Lange Voorhout 1, 2514EA, The Hague
Programme:
14.30 – 15.00 | Registration and Coffee
15.05 – 15.15 | Welcome Words & Setting the Stage
15.15 – 16.00 | Panel 1: Tools of Influence – The Impact of Hybrid Threats on Small and Middle Powers in Europe and Asia
This panel will explore the various hybrid tactics China employs to influence SMPs, including information operations, economic coercion, and legal and political influence, and assess their impact across both regions.
16.00 – 16.15 | Break
16.15 – 17.00 | Panel 2: Policy Responses and Cooperation – Countering Hybrid Threats in Europe and Asia
This panel will focus on policy responses and cooperative frameworks designed to strengthen resilience, foster transregional collaboration, and safeguard the sovereignty of SMPs in an era of hybrid competition.
17.00 – 17.05 | Closing Remarks
17.10 – 17.30 | Borrel
Related Content
