[By Guancha Observer Network, Liu Chenghui] Just two months into his second term as president, Trump has sent US-EU relations on a rollercoaster ride. A South China Morning Post article on April 2nd pointed out that after taking office, Trump damaged the relationship between the US and the EU, leaving the EU in a passive position in its dealings with the US and becoming more cautious in its actions. It began to adopt a new pragmatic attitude towards formulating its China strategy, which was also reflected in the recent visit of EU Trade Commissioner Seifovic to China.

The article mentioned that US government officials had summoned European diplomats in March, demanding an explanation for why public and private satellite operators released satellite images of the Red Sea region. This left European diplomats puzzled - the EU did not consider these images sensitive information; they were just ordinary images released daily by institutions around the world. However, according to those familiar with the matter, the Trump administration insisted that these satellite images jeopardized US national security.

It wasn't until Atlantic editor Goldberg revealed the "group chat scandal" involving high-ranking US officials that EU officials understood why the US was so alarmed.

Goldberg published an article on March 24th revealing that he was recently pulled into a 'Houthi PC Group' chat on Signal by a user with the same name as Defense Secretary Waldz. In the group chat, this user disclosed operational details of the US military's strike on Houthi forces in Yemen. Once exposed, this incident sparked immediate public outrage, with Democrats criticizing Trump and calling for the resignation of those involved.

On March 13th, Trump met NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the Oval Office in the White House. Visual China

In such a world where even verbal slip-ups can lead to diplomatic protests, tariff sanctions, or worse consequences, European officials are now unwilling to make public statements. Last week, a Brussels insider described it as the "opossum strategy... bowing your head and hoping no one notices you."

This new approach has also helped the EU understand how to deal with other countries. The recent visit of EU Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom to China fully demonstrated this strategy. During her three-day visit to China, she not only met with Chinese officials but also gave a speech at the EU Chamber of Commerce in China. However, apart from a few tweets, there is almost no information available to the outside world.

Over the past four years, Ursula von der Leyen, known as the "most famous hawk on China in Europe," has led the EU to take a stronger stance on China. As the EU prepares for important diplomatic activities with China, it faces Trump's tariff threats and a turning point in transatlantic relations. Recently, the tone of the EU Commission towards China has clearly softened, and its rhetoric has become more pragmatic.

Von der Leyen stated in January that the EU "has the opportunity to engage with China and deepen bilateral relations, and even expand trade and investment relations if possible." She further mentioned at an EU meeting the following month that the EU should adopt a "tough" stance in negotiations with the US. When talking about Sino-European relations, she reiterated that she believed an agreement could be reached between China and the EU, "and even expand our trade and investment relations."

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said last month in response to related questions about Sino-European relations that China always attaches great importance to the EU and Sino-European relations, and is willing to strengthen dialogue and cooperation at all levels and fields with the EU side.

It is worth noting that despite multiple pressures from the Trump administration, some senior EU officials still attempted to use the China issue to seek leniency from the US. On March 31st, El Mundo published an interview with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Borrell. When discussing US President Trump's trade war against Europe, Borrell strongly claimed: "There are no winners in a trade war. If the US and its allies launch a trade war, the real beneficiary will be China. This makes no sense for Americans or Europeans." This is not the first time she has made similar remarks.

Bloomberg reported on March 28th that sources said the EU was willing to make concessions to the Trump administration to persuade the US to cancel some tariffs scheduled to increase on the EU. Specifically, the EU would list areas where it could negotiate compromises in response to US tariff threats, including reducing its own tariffs on the US, promising mutual investment with the US, and easing regulations and standards for US companies. A spokesperson for the EU Commission refused to comment on Bloomberg's request for a statement.

This article is an exclusive contribution from the Guancha Observer Network and cannot be reproduced without permission.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7488501698579743258/

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