Europe Is Ignoring President-Elect Biden's Pleas To Work Together Against China With Their Latest Chinese Trade Deal

Flags of European Union and China on display as European Commission officials and Chinese President Xi Jinping approve an investment pact between China and the European Union on December 30, 2020, in Brussels, Belgium. Photo: AFP/Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu Agency 

Alan Tonelson, National Interest: The European Union Is Bludgeoning Joe Biden on China 

The European talks with Beijing on the investment deal represented the first test of the Biden China strategy, and its failure couldn’t be more clear. 

President-elect Joe Biden says that, although he’s hoping for and expects some cooperation from Congressional Republicans once he assumes office, he’s also ready for a “punch in the mouth” from his political opponents. 

On Wednesday, though, he faced an at least equally important question about both political pugilism and about his vaunted foreign policy expertise: Has he been ready for a punch in the mouth from America’s allies? Because that’s what he got from the European Union when it announced that it’s reached what it, anyway, considers to be a major investment deal with China. 

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WNU Editor: So much for Biden's promises and commitment to work with our European allies on issues like China. The EU has chosen to ignore him by accelerating their talks with China after Trump's election defeat, and reaching this deal within weeks .... EU-China trade agreement, step forward or tripwire? (Asia times). 

Bottom line. 

Europe are clearly signaling to everyone that they see Biden as a weak President when compared to President Trump, and they are confident that a Biden administration will do nothing to stop them. In my opinion the EU is right. 

The media is also downplaying this split between the incoming Biden administration and Europe .... EU-China deal may give Biden’s team more options (Asia Times). 

As to what is my take on the EU - China deal itself. I think this deal is a huge mistake for Europe, and it is being done because Brussels is desperate on how to address the current Covid-19 recession that is now getting worse. They are hoping that with this deal China will address the huge trade imbalances that they are now currently enjoying with Europe, and respond by opening their markets. Here is an easy prediction. Beijing will not change their their trade policies to accommodate the EU. Here is a good analysis on why .... The EU Is At Risk Of Becoming Subservient To China (Advancing time).

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