EU Commission President Calls for Stronger Ties With China

Amid a new era of “harsh geostrategic competition,” the European Union must deepen its ties with China and expand its cross-border trade and investment, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on January 21 at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

I believe that we must engage constructively with China—to find solutions in our mutual interest. … I see it as an opportunity to engage and deepen our relationship with China, and where possible, even to expand our trade and investment ties. It is time to pursue a more balanced relationship with China, in a spirit of fairness and reciprocity.
—Ursula von der Leyen

Von der Leyen called engagement with countries like China an “economic necessity” and a “message to the world.”

Trade tensions: While China and the EU are each other’s second-largest trading partners, tensions between the two have escalated, especially over EU tariffs on Chinese imports of electric vehicles. In recent months, however, multiple EU and Chinese officials have called for overcoming these tensions and forming a stronger relationship.

Trump tariffs: Trump’s America-first stance and the threats he made to impose heavy tariffs on all Chinese goods and some European goods have prompted them to look for closer trade ties.

China has long sought to challenge the United States’s dominance and could find a valuable partner in Europe, who is looking for ways to strengthen itself militarily and economically without relying on America as it has done in the past.

Mart of nations: Your Bible forecasts an economic alliance will soon take shape called a “mart of nations,” the main powers of which will be China and Europe. Numerous prophecies show that this alliance will work to freeze the U.S. out of world trade.

To learn about these prophecies in detail, read “Preparing to Storm America’s Castle.”