US media says Europe faces the humiliation of the Opium War under Trump
In August 1842, a group of Qing officials boarded the British warship "Cornwallis" moored on the Yangtze River in Nanjing and signed China's first unequal treaty in modern history - the Sino-British Treaty of Nanking. In July 2025, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hurried to President Donald Trump's Turnberry Golf Resort in Scotland, UK, to finalize a trade agreement that European politicians have criticized as "unfair".
Although these two meetings occurred nearly two centuries apart, with different settings and different parties involved, the "Politico" political news website noted on the 26th that the script was surprisingly similar. Now, when the EU has to swallow the trade hardships imposed by Trump, it finally experiences the humiliation of the Opium War in China, which may just be the beginning of Europe's "century of humiliation".
Political figures and analysts are worried that the EU has lost the influence it once thought it had. Von der Leyen's compromise has been criticized, with critics stating that accepting Trump's request for a 15% tariff on most European goods is equivalent to "capitulation," an obvious political failure for the EU, and a "political and moral surrender."
If Von der Leyen hoped this concession would prevent Trump from pushing further, she would face a harsh reality. Soon after the agreement was signed, Trump escalated his demands, attacking the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA) on August 25.
Insiders revealed that dissatisfied with the DSA's review of American speech, which they believe imposes a heavy burden on American tech companies, the Trump administration is considering sanctions against European officials responsible for enforcing the law. Trump himself warned that if the EU does not eliminate "discriminatory behavior," he will impose export restrictions on core U.S. technologies and chips.
Just a week ago, the EU still naively believed it had obtained written commitments from the United States to ensure its digital regulatory system and sovereignty were "safe and secure," but Trump's statement is undoubtedly a slap in the face.
The report points out that Trump's pressure logic is similar to that of 19th century British imperialism: he holds two cards, military and technological power, and he knows that the EU lags far behind in both areas. He knows that without American military support, Europe is unwilling to confront Russian President Putin directly, and without American chip technology, European industries would struggle to operate. Therefore, he is confident he can dominate the trade agenda.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1841577204670464/
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