(相关资料图)

SinceitistheUnitedStatesthathasdefinedChinaasa"threat"toEurope,theEuropeanUnionnowfindsitselfinadilemma,assomeofitsmembersaremorereceptiveofthatviewthanothers.

AftertheUSlauncheditscampaigntosuppressthedevelopmentofChina"shigh-techindustryin2018,withitsactionstargetingHuawei,itcoerceditsEuropeanalliestotagalong,albeitmanyhavedonesowithnogreatenthusiasm.

NowwithWashingtonhavingbroadenedandintensifieditseffortstoimpedeChina"sdevelopment,itisnolongerjustEurope"s5GnetworksthatWashingtonisintentonhijackingforitscause.ItwantstodictatetheEU"seconomicandtradepolicies.ThathastheEUuncomfortablycaughtontheproverbialhornsasitstwokeyinstitutionshavedifferentviewsonthemeritsoftheUSallegation.

AsaPoliticoarticlepublishedonMondaysaid,theEU"stopranksaresplitoverChina.UrsulavonderLeyen,headoftheEU"sexecutivecommission,hasacozyrelationshipwiththeJoeBidenadministrationandistoeingWashington"shardlineonChina,whileCharlesMichel,chiefofthebloc"scouncil,wantstomaintaincooperativerelationswithChina.

Theupshotofthat,asthePoliticopieceobserves,is"apotentialclashislooming"overtheEU"sChinapolicy,withthecouncilarguingthatthecommissionshouldconsultnationalgovernmentsmorebeforerushingtodoWashington"sbidding.

ThetensionsbetweenthecouncilandthecommissionovertheEU"sChinapolicyhavecometoaheadoverthetimingofthenextEU-ChinaSummit,withthecommissioninsistingthatthenextsummitwithChina,whichhadbeenpenciledinforJune,cannottakeplacebeforethenextsummitwiththeUS.However,WashingtonhasindicatedthatBidenwon"tattendasummitinEuropebeforeJune—whichwouldpushtheEU-Chinasummitintothesecondhalfoftheyear.

ThereisalotatstakefortheEU.Thesplitbetween"theEU"sduelingpowerhouses"isnotonlyaboutthebloc"simmediateeconomicinterests,butalsoaboutitsautonomy.TheoutcomeofthetusslebetweenthecouncilandthecommissionwilldecidewhetheritseconomicandforeignpolicyisdecidedinBrusselsorinWashington.

Althoughitseemstobeachoicebetweenbeing"pro-US"and"pro-China",itisinrealityachoicebetweentheEUhavingfreedomofactionanditbeingageopoliticaltooloftheUS.

Inmakingthatchoice,theEuropeancountriesshouldbearinmindthatitistheUSthatishurtingEuropeaninterestsmorethananyotherparty.Washington"stotaldisregardforEuropeaninterestsisevidentinitsInflationReductionAct.Theyshouldalsoreflectonthefactthatitisthelong-gestatingmachinationsofWashingtonthathaveresultedinthelargestandmostdamagingconflictinEuropesinceWorldWarII.ItisnottheirdependencyonChinathatEuropeancountriesshouldworryabout,buttheirdependencyontheUS.