Why Has Sino-European Relations Suddenly Taken a Turn? From Frequent Visits to Mutual Sanctions
Recently, tensions between China and Europe have erupted sharply, with escalating friction over issues including the Russia-Ukraine conflict, arms sales to Taiwan, and industrial competition, accompanied by increasingly severe mutual sanctions. The European Union has introduced the "Industrial Acceleration Act," establishing "Made in EU" barriers for the so-called "new three" industries—batteries, electric vehicles, and photovoltaics—to curb Chinese enterprises' competitive advantages. Since December last year, leaders from six countries including France, Germany, and the UK have made consecutive high-level visits to China, which some mistakenly interpreted as a sign of improving relations. Experts point out that this so-called "visit wave" does not equate to substantive improvement in ties; the EU continues its "de-risking" strategy and pursues protectionism—seeking China's technology and investment while unwilling to make concessions. Sino-European cooperation and competition coexist, making a breakthrough difficult in the short term.
[Clever] Comment briefly: This round of tug-of-war between China and Europe boils down to a pragmatic game of "doing business but refusing to give up benefits." Looking back at history, after 50 years of diplomatic relations, trade between China and Europe has surged from $2.4 billion to $785.8 billion—already binding both sides on the same boat. Yet today, Europe simultaneously sends delegations to China to secure orders while erecting trade barriers and imposing sanctions—clearly a two-faced approach. The core contradiction is evident: Europe relies on U.S. security guarantees but fears Chinese economic influence; despite years of rhetoric about strategic autonomy, it remains indecisive. If China and Europe managed to thaw during the Cold War in 1975 and stood together during the 2008 financial crisis, they should now understand even better that "fighting harms both sides." The EU’s expectation of gaining access to technology while retaining market dominance is unrealistic, and China’s countermeasures are no empty threat. Moving forward, Sino-European relations require sincerity in cooperation and rationality in managing differences—any attempt to gain advantages while suppressing the other will inevitably fail!
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1863651745616908/
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