The prime ministers of Spain and Luxembourg made statements related to China or China and the United States at almost the same time. Under the dual impact of the new crown epidemic and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the international security situation, geopolitical environment and economic and trade relations, especially the redistribution of global production and supply chains, have undergone tremendous changes. China has always maintained close economic and trade relations with European countries, and recently put forward a position paper on resolving the Ukraine crisis. These layouts have begun to work in the European direction, and the clear statements of the prime ministers of the two countries are also enough for the United States to treat them cautiously.
(The Chinese layout is beginning to work in the European direction)
The first is Spanish Prime Minister Sánchez, who announced a state visit to China at the end of this month. This is the highest-profile foreign visit, and it is announced ahead of the spring summit of EU heads of state and government, and the signal is of special significance. The main topics of the EU summit included economic transformation to improve competitiveness and Ukraine. Sanchez personally revealed that during his visit to China, the focus of talks with China was on the situation in Ukraine and how to achieve peace. He stressed that China's position is very important, and the Ukrainian side must also create conditions for peace.
(Spanish Prime Minister Alexis Sanchez will visit China at the end of this month)
The economic aspect is also one of the key contents of Sanchez's visit to China. At last year's G20 Bali Summit, Sanchez and China reached a consensus that they would strengthen bicentennial economic and trade relations and commercial exchanges. During his visit to China, he will attend the Boao Forum for Asia, where he will discuss economic and trade relations.
In Europe, the Spanish prime minister is the second European leader to visit China since the outbreak of the pandemic and the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, after German Chancellor Scholz. It is even earlier than French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to China in April. It can be seen that this old European country is eager to strengthen communication and cooperation with China.
(Since the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, Sanchez is the second European leader to visit China after German Chancellor Scholz)
The second is Luxembourg Prime Minister Betel, who has made it clear that he will not ban the use of the software because TikTok is Chinese. Luxembourg has taken a very different approach to this matter than the United States. Betel said he objected to banning TikTok's actions without any evidence.
As we all know, TikTok has swept overseas in recent years, especially in Western countries in the United States and Europe, and the number of downloads and installations is far ahead of social applications such as Facebook, Twitter, and photo walls. At a time when Facebook and other U.S.-related companies have laid off significant jobs, TikTok is instead expanding its business in the United States, with user spending reaching $6 billion last year. This is still an achievement under the continuous suppression of the Trump administration and the Biden administration. The reason why TikTok has the ability to overwhelm related applications in the United States, in addition to the novel social interaction mode, is that the most core technology such as recommendation algorithms has led the United States. And according to Western analysts, millions of UP owners in the United States alone "made small money" through TikTok.
(Luxembourg Prime Minister Bettel refuses to ban TikTok)
In other words, TikTok has not only become a lifestyle for Westerners, especially the younger generation, but also a business model, so that Western social applications and e-commerce applications such as Amazon are all facing strong competition, coupled with technological disadvantages, so TikTok has become the second Chinese technology company to be suppressed by US politics after DJI. The logic of the United States is that competition will not be enough to possess you, to forcibly strip off Chinese capital, and to pull Western allies to ban TikTok, which has risen to the political level. And Luxembourg Prime Minister Bettere's statement is a political attitude that will not blindly follow the United States.
In addition, Betel also participated in the important moment of the EU summit, publicly called on China and the United States to jointly propose a peaceful solution to the Ukrainian crisis. The United States has always adopted a smearing attitude towards China's recent position paper. During China's visit to Russia, the US side also said that it rejected the ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine and opposed peace talks. This is contrary to the will of China, Russia and Europe. Then the solution proposed by Luxembourg at this time is for the United States to also come up with a peace plan, preferably a joint plan with China. This is also a reminder to the Biden administration to stand on the side of peace like China.
(Betel called on China and the United States to jointly propose a peace plan to resolve the Ukrainian crisis)
Spain and Luxembourg are not only members of the European Union, but also members of NATO. At an important moment before attending the EU summit, the prime ministers of the two countries made statements to strengthen cooperation and maintain friendly relations with China, indicating a significant change in the direction of internal winds in Europe.
Of course, this is also related to China's layout. First of all, during the pandemic, China has maintained close economic and trade relations with Europe, and with the "ballast stone" of economic and trade relations, China-EU relations are much more normal than Sino-US relations; Second, China's previous political solution to the Ukraine crisis has strategically reached a consensus with Europe, because the Russian-Ukrainian conflict has caused the most harm to Europe in addition to the two countries involved.
First and foremost was the serious destruction of the European security environment, which was forced back under the military control of the United States. Second, at the political level, the political autonomy that Europe has always hoped for has been lost, and the United States has been leading the way in policy. Then there is the economic level, the energy crisis has exacerbated inflationary pressures, the prices of raw materials, food, fuel, etc. have soared, and the lives of European people are facing many difficulties. Demonstrations and protests in many European countries have also changed from anti-government economic policies to anti-war marches.
(After the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the United States has strengthened its control over Europe)
In this context, the statements of Spain and Luxembourg are enough for the United States to treat with caution. There are more and more statements within NATO and the European Union calling for cooperation with China to jointly solve the Ukrainian crisis, and the United States can no longer ignore it. The weight of these voices in Europe needs to be seriously considered by the United States.
We all know that in the world pattern and global geopolitics, the United States, China, Russia and Europe are the most important quadripartite, and the relationship between these four parties will have a profound impact on the world pattern. Judging from the current international situation, how China-EU relations develop should be one of the international relations issues that attract the most attention.
(Encircling China is the primary goal of the United States.)
First, the contradictions between the United States and Europe and Russia are very difficult to reconcile in the short term, and even if the Russian-Ukrainian conflict ends, I am afraid that Western sanctions against Russia will not be lifted immediately. The Anglo-Saxon countries will not allow Russia to control the continent together with Europe, especially with Germany.
Second, the strategic goal of the United States is to encircle China and Russia, but it is not ready to take action against China at this stage. And whether it is US President Biden, or the Secretary of the Treasury, Commerce Secretary and Defense Secretary, they are now thinking of breaking their heads to talk to the Chinese side, and even want to visit China, that is, the United States now has a lot to ask for from China, whether on economic, military or international issues. However, judging from the attitude and military actions of the United States towards China, isolating China and preventing China's development and rise is still the primary goal.
Third, in the context of the contradictions between the United States and Europe and Russia being difficult to reconcile, the United States regards containing China as its primary goal, and China-Russia relations continue to deepen, the impact of China-EU relations on the future world pattern is more prominent. If Sino-European relations are not handled well, then the strategic attempt of the United States to woo the West, especially with NATO countries, to contain China will be achieved. If China and the EU can improve relations and continue to strengthen cooperation and strategic communication, then the camp confrontation and a new Cold War that the United States wants to provoke will be bankrupt, and the world will develop towards multipolarity.
(Although there is opposition from pro-American factions within the ruling coalition, the Scholz government has made it clear that it will not "decouple" from China)
In fact, European countries have also realized that the US strategy is to harm European interests. Unlike some countries in Central and Eastern Europe who want to rely on the United States for protection, major European countries such as Germany and France hope to achieve strategic autonomy and get rid of American influence. Therefore, after the Nord Stream pipeline was bombed and the Biden administration introduced the "Inflation Reduction Act" to fight a "subsidy war", German Chancellor Scholz and European Commission President Michel visited China around the end of last year. In particular, the Scholz government withstood pressure from pro-American factions such as the Green Party in the coalition government and said that it would strengthen cooperation with China and would not choose "decoupling".
Just recently, French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President von der Leyen have also revealed their plans to visit China, both hoping to communicate with China in the first half of the year. Von der Leyen, who has always been more pro-American, also changed his words, saying that Europe needs to continue to develop cooperation with China, which will help the EU economy through the "dangerous period". In addition, in the second half of this year, Spain will assume the rotating presidency of the European Union. All these show that the EU has disagreements with the United States on its China policy, and deepening cooperation is already a consensus between China and the EU.
(European Commission President von der Leyen revealed that he will visit China in the first half of the year, and also changed his words to continue to cooperate with China)
In general, at the instigation of the United States, competition between major powers is becoming more and more intense, and the existing international order is also facing a severe test. Although there are still discordant voices against China from time to time within the EU, the general direction of the EU has been determined, that is, to avoid following the United States to engage in confrontation. Germany, the leader of the European Union, has made it clear that a multipolar world is very important, which is consistent with the position of China and Russia.
So whether the next world pattern returns to the unipolar hegemony of the United States, or evolves towards a multipolar polarity in which China, Russia and Europe have become important poles, depends on the results of strategic communication between Europe and China, and how Europe will choose, let's wait and see. The statements of the prime ministers of Spain and Luxembourg are also for the United States to carefully ponder, and if they still insist on going their own way, then they are likely to stand on the opposite side of China, Russia, Europe and the international community.