Will China Replace the U.S. as Europe’s Ally?

As Europeans feel increasingly alienated by American officials, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the Munich Security Conference this past weekend that China is willing to deepen “all-round cooperation” with Germany.

China sees Europe as a partner, not a rival, Wang said, and it will back Europe in its peace negotiation process regarding the Russo-Ukrainian War.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas responded by saying the EU was ready to “continue with dialogue and cooperate in selected areas, such as trade, economic affairs and climate change.” She urged China to halt the exports of dual-use goods to Russia, which she said help it in its war on Ukraine.

Trans-Atlantic rift: Wang’s remarks sharply contrast those in United States Vice President JD Vance’s speech, in which he criticized Europe for rejecting democracy and attacking free speech.

European leaders hated Vance’s speech. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius called it “unacceptable.” Another senior EU diplomat said that “the trans-Atlantic alliance is over.” In response to Vance’s comments on the Ukraine war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the “decades-old relationship between Europe and America is now ending.”

China’s opportunity: The U.S. under Donald Trump is turning isolationist. Trump has threatened to quit nato and place tariffs on the EU. He has also repeatedly told Europe to spend more on defense as it will no longer be able to rely on the U.S. for funding and support in its defense against Russia.

This weakening alliance opens up opportunities for China to become a more dominant global leader and make economic agreements with Europe. Chinese officials have in recent weeks repeatedly called on Europe to form stronger trade ties.

If the U.S. [under Trump] wants to give more priority to its domestic issues, then Europe should do the same. It should do so for its defense, for its security, and for its foreign policy. There is a huge space for China and Europe to collaborate on.
—Yao Yang, director of the China Center for Economic Research at Peking University

Trade alliance: It seems that China’s close relationship with Russia could be a hindrance for Europe to trust Beijing. But Bible prophecy shows that Europe will ultimately view America as its enemy and will side with China economically to freeze the U.S. out of world trade.

To learn about this alliance in detail, read our article “The Great ‘Mart of Nations.’”