Macaes and others have highlighted that Beijing is not the only major foreign power seeking to leverage European disunity. US President Donald Trump has also dangled economic and diplomatic carrots for European capitals willing to break with Brussels on areas of disagreement with Washington, such as the Iran nuclear deal.
"Trump has tried the method, bashing Germany over defense, dangling long-desired political prizes before Poland and the UK, and lavishing praise on the Italian coalition," Macaes said.
"Russia is a long-standing but exceedingly clumsy operator. China understands how to insert itself in these debates."
Tackling this challenge will require something that has been strikingly lacking from European policy in recent years: Unity.