The EU threatens to crack down on American tech giants to force Trump to abandon tariffs.
The EU advises Trump to abandon "reciprocal tariffs" to avoid a trade war that could lead to "disastrous consequences," and the EU also threatens to target American tech giants.
French government spokesman Sophie Primas said on Thursday that the 27 member states are prepared to "take action against American high-tech giants," and German Deputy Prime Minister Habek also stated, "Everything is on the table."
The Europeans hope to display a tough stance in negotiations with the Trump administration, and they are confident in the deterrent power of the internal market with 450 million consumers.
Ursula von der Leyen, speaking at the EU-Central Asia Summit in Uzbekistan, said that President Trump's announcement of new tariffs is a "major blow" to the global economy. This move will have "disastrous consequences" for hundreds of millions of people worldwide, causing inflation and forcing countless citizens to face soaring food prices.
However, before responding, the EU still emphasizes focusing on dialogue with the United States, hoping to avoid an escalation of a catastrophic trade war.
Trump launched a trade offensive late Wednesday, announcing massive tariffs, hitting Asia and the EU the hardest. Goods from the EU will be subject to tariffs as high as 20%, China 34%, Taiwan 32%, Japan 24%, South Korea 25%, Vietnam 46%... This could potentially choke off the global economy and the U.S. economy.
On Thursday morning, an atmosphere of incredulity permeated Brussels. A senior EU official said, "The U.S. is imposing tariffs on everyone and everything, including bananas and coffee it doesn't produce. It's inconceivable and utterly unwise."
Regarding how the Trump administration calculates the new taxes, this official quipped, "In terms of calculation methods, it is both unreliable and unreasonable."
French President Macron exposed Trump's approach as "brutal and groundless," and German Chancellor Scholz stated that Europe will "respond in a united, forceful, and appropriate manner" regardless of circumstances.
Von der Leyen warned that Europeans are "prepared to respond" and announced plans to "adopt other countermeasures in case of negotiation failure."
The EU previously announced that from mid-April, it would impose "moderate but strong" tariffs on a range of products imported from the U.S., including boats, motorcycles, and bourbon whiskey.
French government spokeswoman Sophie Primas pointed out in Paris that in addition to possibly taxing American digital technology flagship products, Europe is also considering reducing opportunities for American companies to "obtain public contracts."
Source: rfi
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1828430420723712/
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