Since US President Donald Trump returned to power in January 2025, his administration has announced a series of measures aimed at making America great again. The Trump administration’s tough stance, starting with the imposition of “Deliverance Day” tariffs, following a crackdown on illegal migration in the country and its recent plan to annex Greenland, has seen several of its allies and rivals band together to look away from Washington.
At the recently concluded Munich Security Conference in 2026, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi came out to sway Europe. Yi said at the conference: “China and the EU are partners, not rivals.”
USA, China defend Europe
Yi’s remarks came as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Europe and the United States belong together in a conciliatory speech aimed at reassuring Europe that the Trump administration is committed to the alliance, CNN reported. He went on to say that Washington believes Europe needs to do more to support it, adding that the current international system should be “rebuilt”.
On the other hand, Yi stood up for Europe, saying: “As long as we firmly grasp this point, we will be able to make the right decisions in the face of challenges, prevent the international community from moving towards division, and promote the continuous progress of human civilization.
The double bill of Rubio and Yi comes as Washington’s foreign policy overhaul has shaken America’s longstanding ties with its Western allies, who have now openly declared that the era of US-backed global security and rules is over.
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Commenting on the international system that Rubio says the US wants to rebuild, Yi said the problems with the current international system do not lie primarily with the United Nations (UN) but with “some countries that widen differences, apply a country-first approach, engage in bloc confrontation and revive Cold War thinking.”
He further added that China and Europe should jointly reject “unilateral practices” and protect free trade rather than engage in bloc confrontation.
US-China ties
It is worth noting that Yi’s entry into Europe comes at a time when Beijing is also trying to maintain its ties with Washington ahead of Trump’s possible visit to China. Beijing is keen to maintain peace in relations with the US after witnessing unrest in 2025 following announced trade tariffs.
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While Yi expressed confidence in the prospects for US-China relations, he warned that relations could turn sour. He said there are two different prospects for bilateral relations: one where Washington can “reasonably understand China” and cooperate, and the other in which the US seeks separation, takes China “on its knees” and follows China’s “red lines”, including Taiwan. According to Yi, the second path would likely “push China and the United States into conflict.”
Why is China rushing into Europe?
According to the report, Beijing has long sought to promote its vision of a world no longer dominated by US-led alliances and more friendly to its own interests. And to support this, she sees Europe as a key pole that should not immediately side with Washington.
Does Europe accept China’s opinion?
But the report suggests Europe may be a tough audience for China’s presentation, with European leaders remaining concerned about the growing trade deficit with China and its dominance of key strategic supply chains.
In addition, relations between Europe and China have been strained for some time after China supported Russia in its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022. European leaders have also become concerned about growing Chinese aggression in the South China Sea and around Taiwan.
Despite these concerns, Beijing sees Europe opening up as Western leaders adjust their policies in a changing relationship with Washington.
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Several Western leaders have made official visits to China in recent years aimed at deepening cooperation and dialogue with Beijing.