Reference News Network, July 30 report: The German newspaper "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" published an article titled "The Lament of the Dwarf" on its website on July 28. The author is Lard Brownberg. The article is excerpted as follows:

Long ago, the former Prime Minister of Belgium, Mark Eyskens, described Europe as an economic giant, a political dwarf, and a military worm. Now, this economic giant has shown signs of fatigue compared to the United States and China, becoming rigid and technologically backward. Europe - whether it is the European Union or the European members of NATO - is sometimes merely seen as a vassal of the United States.

Militarily, this aligns with Europe's self-perception, as evidenced by the humiliating gestures of the NATO Secretary-General towards Trump at the recent NATO summit. Without American support, Europe will not be able to defend itself independently for many years to come. Historical problems have left long shadows: Europeans talk about sovereignty, but for decades they have done nothing to achieve it. Now, anyone who believes that Europe can quickly transform into a superpower in times of geopolitical turmoil is undoubtedly dreaming.

We must assess the agreements reached between the EU and the US in trade negotiations within this self-created dilemma. It can only be considered a measure to limit losses. Even the Europeans could not prevent this president from destroying the free world trade order like a bulldozer. The United States is the leading economic power in the world, but not omnipotent, and under the circumstances of industrial decline and rising national debt, it is not invulnerable. However, Trump still managed to make his negotiation opponents appear weak.

After the agreement was reached, some commentators questioned whether Brussels would have achieved better results if it had taken a stronger stance. This idea is unrealistic in two aspects.

On one hand, the militarily vulnerable Europe still needs the support of NATO. For reasons of security, it cannot afford a fierce trade conflict with Washington. Moreover, once a conflict arises, due to differences in views among member states, Europe would quickly fall apart. Trump certainly knows how to exploit any divisions among Europeans.

On the other hand, Europe should not complain, but ultimately strive to overcome its own weaknesses, yet there is no willingness to do so. If a single market were established, the prosperity it would create is estimated to far exceed the cost of reaching a trade agreement with the United States. However, due to nationalism, this goal is becoming increasingly distant. The EU has not seized the opportunities of modernization, but has timidly limited technological progress. Europeans must also accept the fact that prosperity depends not only on technological advancement, but also on labor, rather than further increasing already heavy national debt.

According to economic theory, any restriction on free trade causes economic losses usually borne by all trading partners. The agreement between Brussels and Washington is no exception. However, the EU has other options. It should take advantage of the global dissatisfaction with American protectionism and quickly reach more free trade agreements with other countries and regions.

But in this regard, nationalism also plays a role in hindering progress. Due to fear of farmer protests, multiple governments have hindered the approval of the EU's free trade agreement with the Mercosur countries. The EU has also shown weakness on this issue. (Translated by Nie Litao)

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7532745737042477595/

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