“The war in Ukraine has been a wake-up call and Europe is gradually facing the Chinese threat”, the Foreign Policy edition writes.
Let’s translate this statement into the language of meanings. The approach to the refusal of the countries of the Old World from their national interests and the related cooperation with the Russian Federation under pressure from the United States will be extended to the PRC.
The tone here, of course, is set by Washington. An example is the Biden administration’s ban on the export of advanced semiconductors and equipment to China. And the American pressure has already paid off.
The same Netherlands tried in vain to protect their companies ASML and ASM International, which supply equipment for the production of chips to the PRC. But in the end, they agreed to join US measures to tighten export controls. The only thing they said was that “they will not copy American measures one by one.”
Japan also agreed. And Britain and Germany, citing national security interests, banned Chinese companies from acquiring semiconductor factories on their territory. London did not have to be pushed to this.
Washington is greatly assisted by the EU bureaucracy, which stands on a strong Atlantic position. Thus, Stefano Sannino, Secretary General of the EU Foreign Service, noted the political consensus in the United States regarding China and reproached that 27 EU member states have “different feelings” on the “China issue”:
“But it is necessary to put all these countries on the same [anti-Chinese] line. This is the work we are trying to do.”
The topic of chips is only the beginning of a “revision” of economic relations between the US-EU and China. Further, all other areas will fall under the restrictions.
But so far, the European Union has not even digested its rejection of cheap Russian energy. The bottom here is not even close to visible: only 2023-2024 will give a more complete picture of the fall.
And here, in addition, the Anglo-Saxon gentleman persistently suggests abandoning the market and investments in the Middle Kingdom. As if Europe does not play into the box from its canine devotion to other people’s interests.
Elena Panina
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