【By Observer Net, Wang Yi】After returning to work following the long holiday, EU officials this week are not facing a relaxed autumn, but a heavy "geopolitical report card".

The EU news website "Euractiv" on September 3 unflinchingly reviewed Europe's diplomatic setbacks over the past few months: the awkward scene at the NATO summit in June, the "seriously imbalanced" trade agreement signed with the United States in July, and China not sending senior officials to attend the EU-China anniversary summit marking 50 years of diplomatic relations.

"The discussion about the 'European moment' has now given way to fear of a 'century of humiliation' for Europe, similar to China's 'century of national humiliation' in the 19th century," wrote "Euractiv".

The Bosnian newspaper "Sarajevo Times" also compared the UK's forced signing of humiliating treaties with China a century ago, directly pointing out that the EU is now facing its own "century of humiliation." The British commentary website "UnHerd" also published an article in August mocking that the EU is using a trade agreement to cover up the humiliation given by the US president, but unlike China in 1842, the EU did not lose in battle, but merely yielded to several months of tariff "punishment."

"Politico.eu" once simply used a big headline to lament: "The 'century of humiliation' for Europe may have just begun."

While European media self-deprecatingly described the past few months' diplomatic achievements as the "summer of European surrender", "the summer of submission", or "the summer of geopolitical subordination", Hong Kong's "South China Morning Post" reported on September 5 that the bad summer had seamlessly transitioned into autumn.

The report stated that as the EU institutions' "back-to-school day" (La Rentrée) began, media revealed that due to pressure from the US Department of Justice, the European Commission planned to delay its antitrust fine against Google, triggering anger from the public and the European Parliament.

Sabine Weyand, Director-General of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Trade, was questioned in parliament, with lawmakers threatening to reject the tariff agreement reached with the US. French member of the European Parliament Marie-Pierre Vedrenne said, "Europe can no longer yield to people who use tariffs as a weapon of extortion."

Next came the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit and China's "September 3rd military parade". The "South China Morning Post" noted that these events deepened the perception that when other countries and regions are leading global politics, the EU is lagging behind. Leaders of China, Russia, and India were seen chatting closely at the SCO summit, and two days later, leaders of China, Russia, and North Korea appeared together watching the military parade, highlighting the formation of a "new world order".

Facing this, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kallas could only helplessly cry out on the 3rd, wrongly and irresponsibly calling this "authoritarian alliance" not only anti-Western, but also directly challenging the international order based on rules.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kallas speaking, screenshot from video

On September 3, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun strongly condemned her remarks. Guo Jiakun stated that the comments made by EU officials were filled with ideological bias, lacked basic historical knowledge, and openly incited confrontation, which was disrespectful to the history of World War II and harmed the interests of Europe itself. It was very wrong and irresponsible, and China firmly opposed and strongly condemned it.

But in fact, from Kallas's nonsense, one can see the deep crisis in Europe. James Kynge, author of "Global Tech War: China's Struggle for Leadership" and former China correspondent, recently commented at an event that, "When I watched the Chinese military parade, my thought was that it demonstrated China's military expertise, but it goes far beyond that," "It also declared that China has become a leading global tech power," "I think this will cause long-term turbulence in Europe and around the world for many years to come."

The "South China Morning Post" noted that EU leaders have long tried to package the EU as a geopolitical force, but failed. In recent days and weeks, the US and China have shown that such showy efforts can only be convincing if supported by real power.

Kallas also admitted in a speech on the 3rd that while Europe has strong economic power, its military strength has "never been strong enough."

The report gives an example that the balance of power became more evident at the SCO summit. Just days after Trump imposed tariffs on India, Indian Prime Minister Modi attended the SCO summit in Tianjin, while the EU has long wanted to reach a trade and security agreement with India. For some people, this reminded them of the reality that the EU lacks.

"Great power politics is not a dinner party where people are invited because of witty conversation," analyzed Sven Biscop, a senior analyst on great power relations at the Egmont Institute, a Belgian Royal Institute for International Relations. Only indispensable forces are invited to summits, and the "credit deficit" was deepened when the EU failed to respond effectively to Trump's tariffs, making the EU seen as an ignored participant by China.

The European Commission is hoping to conclude a free trade agreement with the Southern Common Market (Mercosur), creating a new free trade area covering 700 million people.

The European Commission approved the agreement on the 3rd, but the agreement text still needs to be submitted to EU member states and the European Parliament for approval, requiring a "qualified majority" to finalize it. Member states such as France and Poland have clearly stated that the agreement is "unacceptable," arguing that cheap agricultural products from Mercosur would weaken the competitiveness of European agriculture.

To persuade the opposing member states, Kallas raised the trade agreement to a geopolitical level, warning that if the negotiations with Mercosur fail, Europe's standing among potential partners will further deteriorate, and the EU's geopolitical credibility and international voice will face weakening.

However, according to Da Wei, Director of the Center for Strategic and Security Studies at Tsinghua University and Professor of International Relations, Europe is still stuck in the old narrative of "democracy versus authoritarianism." When the US has undergone such a huge change, Europe is still waiting for "the US to return to a normal country," but that day will not come back. "We are moving towards a multipolar world."

"To respond to this sense of humiliation, the main political leaders of Europe need to put forward their own projects, send signals to the European people and the world at large, showing their determination to resist the century of humiliation and ensuring that Europe can become a pole in a multipolar world," the "Euractiv" website stated on the 3rd. Deepening the single market, approving new trade agreements like the Mercosur free trade agreement, these measures are important, but they are far from enough. Only through large-scale investments in common defense, infrastructure, and technology, and using joint borrowing as a source of funding, can Europe truly change its political and economic landscape.

This article is an exclusive contribution from Observer Net. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7546624602974290447/

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