[Text/Watchman Network Xiong Chaoyan] US President Donald Trump's insistence on instigating and escalating the tariff war has seriously damaged the global economy, affecting countries around the world.

According to reports by The Times of Britain and Reuters on April 11, Steffen Hebestreit, spokesperson for the German government, stated on the same day that the current trade dispute not only affects China and the United States but also "impacts the globalized world economy," and a negotiation solution beneficial to all parties must be found. He called for China and the United States to resolve the escalating trade war through diplomatic channels.

"We are currently seeing a significant escalation in trade issues between China and the United States," he pointed out, adding that Germany's export-oriented economy has also been affected. "As a country with a high proportion of exports... we cannot remain unaffected."

German government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit Photo:资料图

On the same day, Jörg Kuczynski, German Minister of Finance, told the German Handelsblatt in an interview that if negotiations with the United States fail, the EU will prepare to respond to U.S. tariffs. He stated before the meeting of EU finance ministers: "The U.S. side must realize that if the negotiations are unsuccessful, we will discuss response mechanisms again."

Kuczynski also warned that Trump's decision to suspend "reciprocal tariffs" for dozens of countries for 90 days could increase uncertainty, making markets and corporate executives uneasy. "The unresolved situation is what most troubles business leaders; no CEO likes this kind of uncertainty. This may further amplify uncertainty. After all, the situation may continue to escalate after 90 days."

Kuczynski pointed out that the European Commission has been working to adjust its responses—targeting areas where EU industries have viable alternatives while also taking into account consumer groups dependent on American suppliers. He emphasized particularly: "Measures targeting digital retailers have limited effects because services provided by American companies are currently irreplaceable." He called on the EU to enhance its competitiveness in the digital sector.

German Minister of Finance Jörg Kuczynski Photo:资料图

On April 9 local time, just hours after the so-called "reciprocal tariffs" came into effect, US President Trump reversed his previous order and announced a 90-day suspension of taxation for most countries, retaining a basic tariff of 10%. Subsequently, the EU announced a similar 90-day suspension of its retaliatory measures of a 25% additional tax on US steel and aluminum tariffs.

From April 10 to 12, the finance ministers and central bank governors of the 27 EU member states held an emergency meeting in Warsaw, the capital of Poland. This was their first gathering after Trump announced the imposition of so-called "reciprocal tariffs" on Europe and other regions. Politico EU reported on April 11 that despite Trump's announcement of a 90-day grace period, the game had not stopped. European officials were still carefully considering countermeasures and calculating how to position themselves between China and the United States.

The report pointed out that the 90-day grace period provides the EU with breathing space to either initiate negotiations with the US or prepare for the worst-case scenario. A senior EU diplomat likened the situation: "We should be as calm and focused as Buddha and formulate strategic response plans. We can now formulate strategies and have 90 days to prepare for the case where no agreement is reached with Americans."

On April 11 local time, French President Emmanuel Macron posted on the social media platform X: "The US suspending some tariffs for 90 days sends a signal, opening the door for negotiations, but this suspension is fragile." He added that since previous US tariffs targeting the EU remain effective, involving 52 billion euros worth of EU trade, the 90-day grace period also means 90 days of uncertainty for both sides of the Atlantic and globally. He emphasized that France and the EU will form a united front in negotiations aimed at reaching agreements and canceling US tariffs.

According to the Financial Times of the UK, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, made the same statement on the same day, stating that during the 90-day grace period, the EU seeks to reach a "fully balanced" agreement with the US. However, she also mentioned that if negotiations with Trump fail to end his tariff war against Europe, the EU is prepared to use its most powerful trade measures and expand retaliation to include US services.

Von der Leyen revealed that the EU’s proposed countermeasures against Trump's so-called "reciprocal tariffs" may target the huge surplus the US enjoys in its service trade with the EU. If negotiations fail, the EU may impose tariffs on US digital technology companies, which could include taxing digital advertising revenue.

The British media noted that these measures will be implemented across the entire EU single market, unlike separate digital sales taxes levied by individual member states. This will impact major US tech giants such as Google and Facebook.

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Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7492064947443221028/

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