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If the fate of the 20th century has been decided in the West, the fate of the 21st century will be decided in Asia. In recognition of this, the Trump administration is refocusing US policy to counter the rise of China. To succeed, the United States will have to bring as many partners as possible to the region recently called "Indo-Pacific". An unlikely potential ally, the President of the European Commission
Jean-Claude Juncker,
arrives in Washington this week.
Despite transatlantic tensions, there is a growing convergence between American and European interests in Asia. European companies, like their US counterparts, are concerned about China's unfair trade practices, intellectual property theft and government-backed efforts to dominate new technologies. As the United States updates its foreign investment selection mechanism, Juncker proposed a European selection mechanism, modeled in part on that of the United States
. Since the launch of the "16 + 1" initiative in 2012, China has been trying to exploit divisions between Brussels and the poorest countries of Southern Europe. "Countries are invited to take part in China's economic development"
Li Keqiang
at a 16 + 1 meeting in Bulgaria earlier this month.
Such statements should concern all those who know the Chinese history of buying, bribing and stealing prosperity, not to mention its catastrophic record of human rights. man.
As the Trump administration, European Indo-Pacific Partners. French President
Emmanuel Macron
Juncker and European Council President Donald Tusk signed a deep trade deal with Japan last week. In the coming months, the EU will announce details of its new approach to relations with India as well as its response to the Chinese Belt and Road initiative to fund infrastructure projects in India. South Asia and Central Asia.
Europeans still tend to see China – and Asia more broadly – through the prism of trade and investment. But when it comes to Taiwan's intimidation in Taiwan or its political grip on Hong Kong, Europe should adopt a firmer stance. While most European armed forces have traditionally not had a strong presence in the Indo-Pacific, EU officials have recently touted European naval patrols in the South China Sea. Europe should do more to increase its security and diplomatic engagement in the region.
More importantly, Europeans need to make sure that their tensions with the US president do not make them easy to score for Beijing. As Mr. Trump was in Helsinki meeting the Russian President
Vladimir Poutine,
Juncker concluded his own summit in Beijing. At this meeting, the Chinese tried to convince the former Luxembourg Prime Minister that they were natural partners of Europe to maintain the international order on issues ranging from climate to climate change. Iran going through trade with Europe
. Due to the threat posed by China, the Trump administration could not have more trouble upsetting its natural allies by tariffs on steel, aluminum and automobiles. There are certain problems that the United States can go it alone. This is not one.
Mr. Fly is a senior executive and director of the Asia program at the German Marshall Fund of the United States.
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