For half a year, a heated debate has raged over whether US President Donald Trump’s return to office would push Europe and China closer together.
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Pragmatists, realpolitikers and Beijing’s allies argued that the EU could not afford a trade war with both of the world’s largest economies while footing the bill for a hot war in Ukraine.
For months, EU leaders fuelled the speculation by voicing openness to deeper trade ties with Beijing, in a dramatic rhetorical shift from the previous three years of hostilities.
But the debate appears to have been settled this week with a resounding “no”.
Behind-the-scenes impatience with China’s failure to put any meat on the bones of a much-vaunted charm offensive has spilled into the public realm. Brussels, staggered by Beijing’s failure to move even an inch on its trade gripes, has had enough.
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“The current global trading system is not working as it should. Guard rails are clearly missing. On this point, Donald is right,” said Ursula von der Leyen at this week’s G7 summit in Canada, referring to China’s accession to the World Trade Organization in 2001 as “the biggest challenge” facing the global order.
