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China-EU relations
ChinaDiplomacy

EU ministers court Trump on joint China policy, even as public scepticism grows

European officials lobby American counterparts to ‘push back’ on Beijing together, while German poll shows wariness towards Washington

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(From left) US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, and EU trade and economic security commissioner Maros Sefcovic hold a joint press briefing in Brussels on Monday. Photo: AFP
Finbarr Berminghamin Brussels
As they look to keep the United States engaged in Ukraine and push for lower trade tariffs, EU ministers lobbied their US counterparts for joint policies on China on Monday – even as new public opinion polling shows a waning appetite for such a partnership.
The China carrot was dangled by successive ministers ahead of and after a meeting of the bloc’s trade council in Brussels, which was attended by US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
This is despite growing cynicism towards Washington in the EU’s most powerful member state, Germany. New polling published on Tuesday showed just 31 per cent of Germans saw the US as a partner on “dealing with China”, down from 49 per cent a year earlier.
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The survey, by the Koerber Stiftung in Berlin, showed wariness towards the US under President Donald Trump, with 73 per cent of those polled saying the relationship was in a poor state, compared to 74 per cent who said it was good a year prior.

While the poll showed about one-third of Germans were concerned about the rising influence of China in the world, 80 per cent of respondents expressed concern about China’s economic threat, even if they did not believe the US was a reliable partner to address it.

(Front row from left) US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and EU trade and economic security commissioner Maros Sefcovic with EU trade ministers in Brussels on Monday. Photo: AP
(Front row from left) US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and EU trade and economic security commissioner Maros Sefcovic with EU trade ministers in Brussels on Monday. Photo: AP

Nonetheless, as they fight to keep Trump from cutting a deal with Russia that could undermine European security, EU governments are hoping that offering to work together countering Beijing may catch his eye.

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