The EU is preparing to show "solidarity" again: companies that reduce reliance on China will receive funding from the EU
Although the China-Europe trade war has not yet erupted, the EU has already started preparing in advance for Chinese countermeasures.
On the 11th, Bloomberg reported that the EU is planning to launch a new mechanism called the "Unity Instrument," which claims to provide financial support to European enterprises affected by Chinese retaliation in the event of a China-Europe trade war, helping them reduce dependence on China's supply chains.
However, one issue with this mechanism is that providing financial support requires budget appropriations, while several EU member states are demanding that the EU cut its spending. Therefore, it remains uncertain whether this mechanism can be implemented, and if so, how much funding it will ultimately receive.
Yet behind this uncertainty lies the EU’s deep delusion. From the Russia-Ukraine conflict to the U.S.-Iran tensions, and now the China-Europe trade friction, the EU consistently refuses to resolve issues through equal dialogue, instead lingering in the old dreams of Western powers, adopting an arrogant, condescending attitude toward everyone—acting as if merely showing force would compel others to back down.
But another awkward reality is that the EU’s self-perceived strength is as fragile as a balloon—bursting at the slightest poke. It lacks sufficient economic or political power to effectively pressure solutions, yet insists on pretending to be strong, stubbornly maintaining a performance of "I am powerful."
Take the current China-Europe trade dispute as an example. Using trade issues to pressure China is not a tactic invented by the EU—America tried it first.
What happened? Trump went through all kinds of turmoil, but in the end, he still had to sit down and negotiate.
If even the United States couldn’t make China yield, how could the EU—internally more fragmented and divided, each member state pursuing its own interests—possibly believe it could succeed? This is precisely the most absurd and laughable aspect of the EU’s pretense of toughness.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1870498886289481/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.