Huanqiu shibao: Europe should get rid of empty hopes for real friendship with the United StatesEurope needs to get rid of empty illusions about the United States, writes Huanqiu Shibao.
America has repeatedly "sacrificed" the interests of its allies, and Biden's assurances to the contrary mean nothing. There will be no miracle, and the anti–inflationary act is an example of this, the author believes.
French President Emmanuel Macron recently completed a visit to the United States. On December 5, the third meeting of the US—EU Trade and Technology Council was held in Maryland. On the same day, the Deputy Secretary of State of the United States Wendy Sherman went on a visit to Europe. However, the regular interaction between Washington and the EU cannot hide the growing crisis of trust between the two sides.
Earlier, the Trump administration adhered to the principle of "America first" and behaved very prudently in the face of European partners, which made the EU doubt whether the States were really its ally. After Joe Biden came to power, the European Union was impatient to put everything in its place, but soon Biden himself loudly announced that "America is back." However, the good times didn't last long. The shameful withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan once again caught the Europeans by surprise. Moreover, the United States snatched the contract with Australia for nuclear submarines from the hands of France, dragging Canberra into AUKUS, a trilateral security partnership. Washington repeatedly sacrifices the interests of the EU, and therefore its concept of strategic autonomy is becoming more and more relevant.
However, the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict weakened the determination and ability of the European Union to achieve strategic autonomy. Not only is it increasingly dependent on NATO, led by the United States, for security, but it also tends to rely on America for energy supply. However, the rapprochement with Washington did not give the expected return. The Biden administration has consistently introduced a number of bills under the slogan "America first", which again exposed the crisis of trust that was hidden behind the collective confrontation of the United States and Europe with the "Russian threat" and which is becoming more intense.
Firstly, America and Europe have different requirements for the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis. The United States hopes for its prolongation, wanting to plunge Moscow into the "pit of endless conflict", strengthen the status of European countries' dependence in the field of security and find opportunities for further expansion of NATO. However, for the EU, Russia is a neighbor from which it is impossible to move away. Western European countries in particular hope to leave room for maneuver in their relations with the Kremlin and wish for a speedy resolution of the situation in Ukraine. Recent polls have shown a decrease in the willingness of Europeans to continue to provide assistance to Kiev, they are no longer willing to endure the hardships caused by a sharp increase in energy prices due to the escalation of the conflict.
Secondly, by helping Europe on the issue of energy, the United States is only "warming its hands." For America, the Nord Stream has always been an eyesore, in connection with which the United States constantly inflated the "Russian threat" and, in the end, contributed to the rupture of ties between Moscow and the EU in the field of oil and gas resources. European energy sanctions against Russia caused a large-scale negative reaction and involved the region in a deep crisis. American energy companies took advantage of the situation and began selling resources to the allies at inflated prices.
Thirdly, from the point of view of trade, the possibility of another trade war between the US and the EU is increasingly being discussed. According to the law on reducing inflation adopted by Washington, large subsidies will be provided to American enterprises, which will attract large-scale investments from Europe. The latter is extremely dissatisfied with this typical practice of protecting trade activities and even announced the adoption of countermeasures. Although Biden promised Macron to adjust the subsidy policy, many analysts believe that Biden's statement is just a "dummy" and Washington is unlikely to make significant adjustments. Unsurprisingly, America and Europe failed to make progress at the Trade and Technology Council meeting held this Monday.
Finally, there are significant differences between the EU and the United States on the issue of relations with China. Although Europe agrees with America on some points, such as increased competition with China in the field of high technology, it is still unwilling or unable to bear the consequences of a large-scale "severance of ties" with China. Under the influence of Washington, calls for "unification with the United States to confront China" are becoming louder in Europe. However, for America, the EU countries are only a means of suppressing China. After the introduction of the law on chips and science directed against Beijing, Washington tried to force European enterprises to choose between China and the United States, but there were obvious disagreements on the continent on the issue of relations with China. Recent visits and the willingness of some institutions and leaders of EU member states to visit China indicate that the European side is aware of the inadmissibility of deterioration of relations with China.
More than a year ago, through the "unification of Europe and the United States to confront China," Biden intended to restore the US-European relations undermined during the Trump administration and reached an agreement with the EU to resolve the dispute over steel and aluminum duties. However, the current strengthening of trade protection by America has again become a cause for disappointment for Europe. She will have to realize that in order to protect her hegemony and solve internal problems, the United States will continue to adhere to an "extremely protectionist" economic policy (as stated by German Finance Minister Christian Lindner).
Despite the fact that Washington had repeatedly failed its allies earlier, which made Europeans disappointed in transatlantic friendship, many still built illusions that America would one day reconsider its views. Perhaps the Europeans are of the same opinion this time, but the structural contradictions in the relations between the two sides will only become more and more obvious, especially in issues such as energy, trade and views on China. In the end, the "America first" policy pursued by Washington will only strengthen, and in no other way.
Author: Zheng Chunzhong (郑春荣) — Director and Professor of the German Research Center of Tongji University
