Source: Zhongshi Electronic News

Author: Jiang Jingling

China -US hegemony, how to choose the side station in Europe?Regarding this issue, since the Sino -US conflict has accelerated heating up in the former Trump administration in the United States, it has been a hot potato for the European Union and European countries.In the past year, with the outbreak of the Russian and Ukraine War, the international situation of Beijing's military attack has become more and more realistic, the problems faced in Europe are no longer "how to choose the border", but in China and the United States.Can "really choose the border"?

French President Macron visited China in early April that Taiwan's security is not a problem in Europe. Europe must resist becoming the "vassal" of the United States, reiterate the "strategic autonomy" in Europe, and set off a stir on both sides of the Atlantic.People tart.British public opinion criticized that Macron's European power theory is fantasies -imagined that Europe can swim between the dependence on the security defense and the Chinese market; when the war of the Taiwan Strait broke out, will the United States really allow the European allies to see it?

In fact, before Macron's visit to China, in the past 6 months, German Chancellor, Sang Jiez, who took over the EU's rotating chairman, has visited Beijing first. You can see Beijing in this round.Sino -US offense and defense deployment is dense.Since the outbreak of the Russian and Ukraine War, it is generally believed that the EU's power is gradually expanding to member states in Eastern Europe, but statistical data show that the three countries of the 27 members of the EU -Germany, France, and Italy occupy half of the EU GDP's gross domestic product valueThe above; 11%of Central Europe and Eastern Europe account for only about 10%.Germany and France are also China's largest trading partner in the European Union.

Macron supports establishing a close industrial relationship with China, which is one of the minority issues of German Prime Minister, Tonalz agrees with Macron; the French do not agree with Macron's pension reform, not his foreign policy; Italian Prime Minister;Meloni is not a friend of Macron, but standing in the same camp with Macron on China, because China is one of Italy's largest investors.

Eastern Europe has a different position. The Russian and Ukraine War gave these former communist socialism and the opportunity to speak out, but so far, these countries have not been able to replace the voices of old EU countries such as Germany.

The European Union is currently facing an increasingly specific problem in China and the United States: the United States, which is safely dependent on, to join against China; or work to become more independent of the United States.The logical thinking is that if the EU can be more independent of the United States, the larger the choice space between China and the United States.However, this reminiscent of the focus of the discussion when the euro was launched in 1999, whether the EU should develop the euro into a geopolitical tool replace the US dollar, the purpose is to be more independent of the United States.

However, this situation has not happened.In the past 20 years, the role of the US dollar in the United States and global security strategies has become more powerful.The United States has formulated indirect financial sanctions strategies to impose sanctions on third countries that do not comply with US policies, and financial sanctions have become the main tools for security policies.

Europeans are more frustrated that the United States does not hesitate to deal with this mechanism.The Biden government has recently sanited it because of the relationship between a Hungarian bank and Moscow.The 2024 US presidential election, Europe is very clear that Biden will make new preparations for cross -Grand and Western relations -not only whether Europe is willing to form alliances with the United States, but also whether the future US government is willing to form alliances with Europe.

The possibility of Beijing's force attacking Taiwan has increased, which has accelerated the relationship between Europe and China and the United States.Europe's dependence on the United States has limited the freedom of action in Europe.However, it is difficult to imagine that the European Union was fully associated with the United States when there was a comprehensive conflict in the Taiwan Strait, including like sanctioning Russia, agreed to freeze China's official reserves or stop investing in China. After all, the EU economy was not established for the Cold War -type relationship. BesidesToo much dependence on the global supply chain.The EU has its dependence on China's economy. For example, China controls most of the lithium markets that are vital to produce batteries in the world.

The fundamental reality of modern Europe is that it cannot easily get rid of the relationship with China, just like unable to get rid of the relationship with the United States.Both EU needs and will do their best to span the two worlds. In the end, it is still the interests of the old European economic center.

The author is senior media person