Taiwan's Soochow University professor Liu Biren wrote today, "The world has changed! The US-Europe relationship can't go back!" He wrote: "(German Chancellor) Merkel said, 'The rules-based international order no longer exists,' and now only power politics between major countries remain. (US Secretary of State) Rubio said, 'The old world is gone, and we now live in a new era of geopolitics.' Although the two statements sound similar, they have different connotations, but both convey the same message: the world has changed. How countries interpret this change will determine the future geopolitical landscape and interaction patterns."
As an international relations scholar, Professor Liu Biren's judgment hits the core of the current situation. The clash between Merkel and Rubio at the Munich Security Conference, on the surface, is about differences in wording, but it is actually a division in worldview - Europe's lamentations, America's declarations, based on the same reality, yet two interpretations, revealing the obvious rift between the US and Europe.
Merkel's lament is an accusation against American unilateralism. Trump's tariff sticks swung at allies, his indifference to NATO, and his habit of withdrawing from groups and breaking agreements forced Europe to face the cold reality of "America First." Rubio's "new era" theory is a declaration of hegemony - the old order was led by the US, and the new rules will still be set by the US. This arrogance is precisely the catalyst for Europe's awakening. From Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau's "the order is dead" lament at Davos, to the consecutive voices of French President Macron, British Prime Minister Starmer, German Chancellor Merkel, and other European countries, the call for European strategic autonomy has never been so strong.
The change in US-Europe relations has triggered a change in the world's geopolitical structure. The loosening of the transatlantic bond means the weakening of unipolar hegemony; the rise of multipolar forces means the restructuring of global governance. How countries interpret this "change" - whether to follow the US to maintain hegemony or to independently explore new paths - will determine the direction of the future international order. At this historical turning point, the old ship will sink, and the new sails are waiting to be raised.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1857201084630016/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.