China seeks to leverage U.S.-Europe rift for strategic gain
Beijing is trying to strengthen its ties with Europe by taking advantage of transatlantic disputes. China wants to gain strategic influence over Europe, CNBC reports. Experts add that Europe is currently striving for "independence" from the United States.
CNBC reminds us that during a recent meeting at the White House between Donald Trump, JD Vance, and Volodymyr Zelensky, a public quarrel occurred, which heightened tensions between the U.S. and Europe.
China might benefit from cooling USA-Europe relations
CNBC emphasises that China might leverage this situation to enhance its European influence. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Europe, advocating for closer cooperation.
Alicja Bachulska, a policy expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations, noted that China is attempting a charm offensive to present itself as a stabilizing force and an alternative power. She highlighted that Beijing is leveraging Europe's concerns while seeking a reset on its own terms, as reported by CNBC.
Ian Bremmer from the Eurasia Group points out that China aims to weaken the ties between Europe and the United States.
CNBC adds that China could become an alternative trade partner for Europe, and European companies, especially in the automotive sector, might benefit from cooperation with Beijing.
China responds to Trump's tariffs
"If war is what the U.S. wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war or any other type of war, we're ready to fight till the end" – stated the Chinese embassy in the United States in a social media post published on Wednesday. This is a reaction to the increase of tariffs to 20% on the import of goods from China to that country.
The official reason behind Washington imposing tariffs, which also affected Canada and Mexico, is the fight against smuggling fentanyl from these countries—an opioid causing the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans each year.
According to Beijing authorities, the Trump administration is using the fentanyl issue to "smear and shift blame onto China and pressure and blackmail it with tariff hikes." The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has repeatedly argued that "the root of the problem lies within the United States itself," and tariffs will not solve it.
After Trump announced the first tariffs on Chinese imports last month, Beijing responded with a 15% tariff on coal and liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports and a 10% duty on crude oil and agricultural machinery imports. In response to the doubling of the tariff, China announced the introduction of tariffs ranging from 10 to 15% on the import of farming and food products from the U.S.
