– Trump’s Allies Resetting with China Amidst Trump’s Policies
- Donald Trump, if re-elected, is highly likely to pursue engagement with China despite his tough campaign talk.
- "Everyone goes to Beijing,including the guy who doesn't want us to go to China," said Joerg Wuttke,former president of the EU Chamber of Commerce in China and now...
- In 2024, then-Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau aligned with the Biden administration to impose a 100% tariff on chinese electric vehicles, intended to protect the U.S.
BRUSSELS (AP) – Chinese President Xi Jinping has had a busy few weeks receiving Western allies seeking warmer ties with the world’s second-largest economy.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney struck a trade deal slashing tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and Canadian canola oil.
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer landed in Beijing this week to repair ties that have been strained for years, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is expected there next month. Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo also was among the latest leaders from Europe to shake hands with Xi.
In a major shift to the world order since President Donald Trump took office again, America’s closest partners are exploring opportunities with China following clashes with Trump over tariffs and his demands to take over Greenland from NATO ally Denmark. Despite the risk of irking Trump, they are resetting relations with a country long seen as a top adversary to many Western allies and the top economic rival to the U.S.
“We’re engaging broadly, strategically with open eyes,” Carney saeid at the World Economic Forum meeting last week in Davos, Switzerland, shortly after he returned from Beijing. “We actively take on the world as it is, not wait around for a world we wish to be.”
Some leaders, lawmakers and experts lament a shift that could tip the balance in Beijing’s favor at Washington’s expense, while others say China is
Trump May Repeat China Outreach Despite Rhetoric
Donald Trump, if re-elected, is highly likely to pursue engagement with China despite his tough campaign talk. experts point to the same reasons that drew him in during his first term: China’s large economy, its significant role in global affairs, and the necessity of having reliable dialog channels.
“Everyone goes to Beijing,including the guy who doesn’t want us to go to China,” said Joerg Wuttke,former president of the EU Chamber of Commerce in China and now a partner at the consultancy DGA Group.
Canada Leads the Way
In 2024, then-Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau aligned with the Biden administration to impose a 100% tariff on chinese electric vehicles, intended to protect the U.S. auto industry.
During his recent visit to Beijing – the first by a Canadian prime minister in eight years – Mark Carney negotiated a reduction of the tariff in exchange for lower import rates on Canadian farm products. Carney described the Canada-China trade relationship as “more predictable,” a clear contrast to Trump’s tariff threats against Canada. Read more about Carney’s visit.
Upon Carney’s return, Trump threatened a 100% tariff on Canada due to its trade deal with China, a move Carney dismissed as empty rhetoric.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Carney criticized the use of coercion by major powers against smaller nations, without directly naming Trump. He stated, “Middle powers must act together, because if we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu.”
These remarks have resonated throughout Europe.
European Nations Are Recalibrating Ties with Beijing
Keir Starmer, the UK’s Labor leader, recently concluded a visit to China,signaling a potential shift in the UK’s approach to the relationship.