China, Europe should ‘fix rifts’ or risk return to ‘law of the jungle’ under Trump: diplomat

Diplomats and experts urge Brussels and Beijing to prepare for global turning point by healing differences and improving ties

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US president-elect Donald Trump with his family onstage after his election victory. Photo: Reuters

Published: 2:00pm, 11 Nov 2024Updated: 2:26pm, 11 Nov 2024

China and the European Union are at a critical juncture to restore political trust in response to the looming uncertainties that are expected to accompany the strong comeback of Donald Trump as US president, Chinese diplomats and experts said.

The Chinese foreign ministry’s deputy head in charge of European affairs Cao Lei said on Saturday that Trump’s election victory may indicate “the turning point of [our] times” and urged Brussels and Beijing to fix rifts and improve ties.

“No one wants to return to the law of the jungle, no one wants to go back to the era of confrontation and the Cold War, and no one wants to return to unilateral hegemony. This is the backdrop that China-EU relations are facing,” he said.

Cao was speaking at the launch of Beijing Foreign Studies University’s China Think-Tank Network on Europe, which aims to foster renewed understanding between the two sides.

Already challenged by their respective domestic economic difficulties, both China and the EU are facing the prospect of higher tariffs in the second Trump administration, which is expected to press ahead with more aggressive “America first” policies.

China is bracing for headwinds from the US in the coming years, while Europe is watching closely for what policy changes may be in store – especially on defence and the war in Ukraine – while striking a new balance of power in transatlantic relations.