Tensions between the U.S. and Europe have hit something of a low in recent weeks — and China could be poised to use the spat to bolster its relationships on the continent.
Transatlantic strains came to head last week during a disastrous meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office. What started out as a potential signing of a critical minerals deal ended in a public shouting match.
Trump has also made repeated threats of tariffs on EU imports and said that the bloc was “formed to screw the United States.” Vance, meanwhile, lambasted Europe last month at the Munich Security Conference, saying he was worried about “the threat from within.”
This strain in the so-called “special relationship” has seen Beijing become an unexpected ally and advocate for Europe, with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visiting the continent last month to urge for closer ties and more cooperation.
“China is clearly responding with a charm offensive, trying to portray itself as a stabilizing force and a potential alternative pole, exploiting European fears and hoping for a reset on Beijing’s own terms,” Alicja Bachulska, policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, told CNBC by email.
After both the EU and Ukraine were shut out of surprise U.S.-led peace talks with Russia, Wang said at the Munich Security Conference that China hopes all parties can participate in peace talks to end the war in Ukraine. “As the war is taking place on European soil, it is all the more necessary for Europe to play its part for peace,” he said in comments reported by Reuters.
