i think is nearly impossible to hit a forehand without using the forearm.
let me explain: i think is the natural way of the human body on forehand movement when you accelerate your whole arm, the forearm slighty bends on the moment you will contact the ball. when you are moving your shoulder and triceps forward, the forearm will slighty bend, this in a natural way. except you really lock the forearm you will be able to hit a "whole arm" forehand but this is not good, the technique will not be good and you will really feel pain in the shoulders.
so, talking now about european x chinese, is really difficult to talk abouth this. SOME (most) europeans players use more forearm and elbow as pivot because the rubbers and blade are fast ans just the forearm snap, good hip transfer into the ball and good footwork will give they a powerful topspin. ASIAN like chineses, hong kong, vietnam, north korea. Will do a more whole arm stroke because the rubber exiges too much for their bodies, so using the shoulder and triceps as pivot they not snap their forearms, they accelerate on a forward momevent, using a almost full stretched arm amplitude, they can apply all the strenght of their bodies into the ball.
But this is not a rule, FZD snap more the forearm, Romain Ruiz have a more whole arm style. And depends on the type of the stroke too, close to the table counter attacks is more forearm and less arm even for chineses. far from the table counter attack in some cases is more arm and less forearm even for europeans.
is not a contract, your arm have to be relaxed doing a forehand. i just use my shoulder and triceps as pivot and my forearm will accelerate upper-forward.
my personal point of view is: if the chinese are the best, i will study them and try to apply their techniques.