Despite Trump, Ties Between the European Union and China Remain Strained

On July 24, Ursula von der Layen and Antonio Costa, President of the European Commission and the European Council, respectively, will be in Beijing to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union. Certainly, they will talk about US President Donald Trump and his recent announcement of a 30 percent tariff for European Union imports.

This visit comes in the aftermath of the Munich Security Conference in February, where Washington and China showed flagrantly contradictory messages to Europe. In his opinion, US Vice President JD Vance condemned “the closing of the media, the suspension of elections, or the closure of people from the political process.” For his part, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made a speech praising multiple virtues, open trade, and the global regime based on rules. Without expressing the frankness of Trump or the United States, his message to the Europeans was: See, we are in the same boat, and therefore you must stick to each other.

On July 24, Ursula von der Layen and Antonio Costa, President of the European Commission and the European Council, respectively, will be in Beijing to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union. Certainly, they will talk about US President Donald Trump and his recent announcement of a 30 percent tariff for European Union imports.

This visit comes in the aftermath of the Munich Security Conference in February, where Washington and China showed flagrantly contradictory messages to Europe. In his opinion, US Vice President JD Vance condemned “the closing of the media, the suspension of elections, or the closure of people from the political process.” For his part, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made a speech praising multiple virtues, open trade, and the global regime based on rules. Without expressing the frankness of Trump or the United States, his message to the Europeans was: See, we are in the same boat, and therefore you must stick to each other.

One may think that the Wang line will resonate with European frustration with Washington. But the truth is that Trump’s rise does not mean love between Europe and China. The mission of Von Der Leyen and Costa is to manage the conflict, not a new bright partnership with Beijing. The fact that the summit does not take place in Brussels and that large weapons such as French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Mirz will be absent from volumes on countless problems that occupy China -European relations. From trade and technology to Russia’s war in Ukraine, the list has become longer.

Both European and Chinese leaders want a functional relationship, as their meeting appears in Beijing. However, these efforts should not be considered as evidence that Europe is heading to China out of frustration with the United States.

First, the economic relations between the European Union and China have become controversial. European companies used to see China as a date as they are creating a store there. In 2000, after entering the World Trade Organization, China accounted for up to 40 percent of the global Volkswagen sales and a similar percentage of BMW. But these days the tables turned. After losing its market share in China, German car makers are now facing competition for home grass. Chinese brands such as BYD create a foothold as Europe is preparing to shift from internal combustion to electric cars in the thirties of the last century as part of its efforts to remove carbon. Unfortunate practices such as state subsidies give these companies an advantage against European competitors.

The European Union monitors uncomfortable. In a recent speech to the European parliament, von der Layen indicated that China has “unique tools at its disposal to play outside the bases”, allowing it “to dump the global markets of excessive support – not only to enhance its industries except to strangle international competition.” In 2020, amid Covid-19, the European Commission President described China as a “competitor and competitor” and was a prominent defender of “getting rid of dependence on the Chinese economy.

Now, for all diplomats, the competition between Europe in China in Europe, where China is disturbing European markets. Last year, the European Union slapped the huge definitions on the Chinese EVS, claiming an unfair competition. BYD still builds a manufacturing base in Hungary as well as Türkiye – which has an unrestricted arrival to the European Union thanks to the applicable customs union. Worse, from Europe’s point of view, China controls the basic raw materials of green technology, from batteries to solar panels. European EV builders may still rely on Chinese Chinese batteries, for example, Beijing knows how to benefit from it. China recently imposed restrictions on a rare export of the Earth to the European Union as a group of Chinese medical equipment of public purchases.

From Europe’s economic perspective, tensions between China and the United States may actually increase. Fear on the continent is that the goods converted from the American market will be thrown to European consumers. Europe’s trade deficit with China exceeded 300 billion euros in 2024. Trump’s tariff will be associated with excessive capacity of China as a large headache for lania and companies alike. As a result, the European Union undertakes to launch more investigations into the Chinese miscarriage, similar to the EV investigation.

China insists that the 2020 comprehensive agreement on investment (CAI) with the European Union is still on the agenda. But the European Parliament still refuses to ratify the deal regarding concerns about human rights. China has now been exposed to the main European Union capitals, and the top will not disappear.

Tensions rise in the world of security as well. Early of Russia’s extensive invasion of Ukraine, the Europeans had a reason to see Chinese President Xi Jinping as a mild influence on his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. For example, the Chinese leadership was credited with issuing a scenes warning to the Kremlin against the use of tactical nuclear weapons in early 2023.

But even these modest reasons for optimism diminish as China approaches the open support of the Putin War. At a meeting with the head of the European Union’s foreign policy, Kaja Calas this month, Wang said China could not lose Russia in Ukraine. Shi’s presence in the victory of this year in Reed Square in Moscow – along with European Union leaders such as Victor Urban and Robert Fico from Hungary, and he must add – as well. Reports that China provides fatal aid to Russia may adhere to the anxiety of Europeans. Chinese electronic components also feed on Russian military capabilities, such as missiles and drones, which can threaten NATO – even if these components are also used by the uninhabited successful platforms in Ukraine.

Despite these tensions, Europe does not seek to separate it from China. China and Europe realize that they need each other and want to ensure competition within certain limits.

There are signs that both sides find their way towards such a Vivendi form. In April, Beijing announced that it would raise restrictions on many European Union legislators, hoping to revive Cai. In contrast to the NATO 2024 summit, there was no noisy language in China in the event of The Hague last month – because Trump wanted to keep it short.

Dialogue also continues at multiple levels. On July 14, Theresa Ribera, the head of the green transition at the European Commission, accompanied by three of its commissioners, occupied the sixth environment for the environment and climate in the European Union and the climate in Beijing. Exit the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement emphasizes the importance of Europe and China, who are the main stakeholders, on emissions. There are still member states of the European Union, such as Spain and Hungary, which looks at Beijing as a welcome partner, not a threat.

Finally, opportunities for advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence will continue to give both sides to work together. Deepseek launched the investor’s optimism about the Chinese economy, which was a weak performance after the ruling. The European technology sector also welcomed. An AI’s Open Source code allowed other companies to adapt technology to its needs while improving and developing new products. This makes it a general benefit of species and highlights China’s centrality in the global economy. As Europe behind the United States falls behind artificial intelligence, Deepseek may narrow the gap at least.

Europe will continue to secure the benefits like this from its relationship with China. But the Europeans no longer believe, as they did during 2010, that the relations with Beijing are winning. Moreover, Europe estimates that ties across the Atlantic Ocean have yet proven that they are flexible, as it is clear from Trump’s role on the NATO line and the tougher line on Putin. If they are forced to choose a team in the United States of Chinese competition, European decision makers will do-alongside-alongside-with Washington.

Meanwhile, they realize that strategic self -rule also includes reducing excessive dependence on Chinese resources, trade, investment and technology. The lukewarm tone will be at the anniversary in Beijing.