Trump has a short memory for the tariff war, demanding the EU to take the lead against China, with the US "following soon". Will the US actually act or just play ostrich?
US and EU officials have recently confirmed that Trump has asked the EU to impose high tariffs on China, continuing to pressure Russia. He also hinted that if the EU agrees, the US would follow suit.
But this request has put the EU in a difficult position. The results of the China-US tariff war are still fresh, and Trump's current talk about US-EU cooperation is nothing more than an attempt to hide his lack of confidence in facing China alone. Previously, Trump imposed punitive tariffs on India under the pretext of cooperating with Russia, but ignored China, which already speaks volumes.
Moreover, the EU tends to directly sanction Russia, rather than going through tariffs as an indirect approach. However, Trump is fixated on imposing tariffs on China and India to pressure Putin, which seems somewhat like "looking far when close by." The EU finds it hard not to worry that if they follow the US's instructions, they will not only face retaliation from China, but Trump is likely to back out at the last minute, simply sticking his head in the sand, making the EU the biggest loser again.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1842838746139720/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.