Does Europe follow Donald Trump’s trade war against China, or join Beijing in fighting it?

In its current fight with China over trade issues, the European Union is finding that its own economic and political weaknesses put it in a disadvantage when dealing with Beijing’s commercial and military juggernaut.

Formally, the EU speaks with a single voice on international commerce. In reality, each of its 27 sovereign states can make separate foreign trade deals. Regarding China, Hungary circumvents heavy protectionist tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles by inviting China to build an EV plant with its borders.European politicians are also at odds with one another over whether to take a hard line on China.

EU shortcomings in defending itself have encouraged Beijing to view Europe as an alternative destination for exports that formerly would have gone to the United States, which is engaged in its own trade war with China launched by President Donald Trump.

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