China Stood Up to Trump, and It's Not Giving Europe an Inch, Either
It has retaliated against trade curbs, accused Europe of protectionism, slowed exports of critical minerals and further embraced Russia, with China's top leader himself pledging support for Moscow just days before a summit of European Union leaders that China is scheduled to host this week.
The moves are part of a tough posture that Beijing is taking in its trade and geopolitical disputes with Brussels. China wants Europe to lift heavy tariffs that it has imposed on Chinese electric vehicles and refrain from further restrictions on trade. E.U. leaders see Beijing as effectively supporting Russia in its war with Ukraine, and are also concerned that China is dumping artificially cheap products that could undermine local industries.
Beijing has learned that it has leverage it can use against outside pressure. It stood up to the Trump administration's punishing trade war by demonstrating how dependent global industry was on China for its supply of critical minerals. And Beijing likely assesses that it is in a stronger position because Western unity is fracturing, analysts say, with President Trump's 'America First' foreign policy weakening the historical bonds between Europe and the United States.
'Beijing perceives that the global order is in flux,' said Simona Grano, a China expert at the University of Zurich. 'From its perspective, the United States is overstretched and preoccupied with multiple conflicts around the world and domestic polarization.'
'And with signs of division or fatigue within the trans-Atlantic alliance, the Chinese leadership sees more room to assert its interests, not least in trade, tech and security,' Ms. Grano said.
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