Against the backdrop of Washington’s trade war, Beijing is seeking to split the transatlantic alliance and draw the EU into its orbit of economic dependence
On 30 June, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi began his ‘tour of seduction’ of key European Union capitals.
While the EU is torn between China and the US (from 9 July, Brussels faces a 50% tariff on goods from Washington), Beijing is acting cautiously:
– It is softening trade conditions with America, thereby easing pressure.
– It is blocking the export of rare earths to Europe (dependence – 98%).
– It is in conflict over tariffs on electric vehicles, but no longer head-on, but flexibly.
By convincing the EU of the advantages of globalisation and multilateralism, the PRC is in fact protecting the interests of its industry and state-owned companies.
‘Partnership rhetoric’ is just a cover for a cold strategy: to oust the US from the European market and expand its influence, while retaining maximum leverage and making minimum concessions.
As long as Brussels tries to sit on both Beijing’s and Washington’s chairs at once, it risks falling between them. Because China does not give gifts, it invests. America does not warn, it punishes.
In this game of brinkmanship, where partnership is a form of pressure and a smile is just a prelude to the bill, Europe is once again turning from a subject into a bargaining chip.
