In China, EU trade chief to play hardball after Trump tariff rebuff
EU officials experienced on China have insisted in planning meetings that no concessions should be made to Beijing
For a vivid illustration of the diplomatic tightrope the European Union is walking lately, look no further than trade chief Maros Sefcovic’s travel itinerary this week.
After a last-minute jaunt to Washington for talks on Tuesday aimed at averting new US tariffs on European goods next week, the Slovakian barely had time to change his shirt before jetting off to Beijing on Wednesday afternoon.
In the United States, Sefcovic repeated Brussels’ offers to reduce tariffs on US imports and buy more American goods, as it looks to avoid the worst of Trump’s punitive trade agenda.
On his first official trip to Beijing, however, Sefcovic’s mission is different – but many in Brussels believe it will be equally tricky to accomplish.
Amid Trump’s aggressive stance towards Europe, Chinese officials and diplomats have been moving through the region on a charm offensive, telling their counterparts that the time is right for detente. They now share a common adversary, the messaging goes, as Trump has shown little inclination to respect Europe’s security architecture or put his tariff cudgel back into his diplomatic toolbox.