Europe's strategic shift: Less trust in US, more interest in China

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Europe is undergoing a quiet but profound strategic shift. According to a poll on the "European Pulse" in March, only 12% of respondents in Poland, Spain, Belgium, France, Germany and Italy described the United States as a close ally, while 36% saw it as a threat. China, by comparison, was viewed as a threat by 29%.

The numbers reveal a growing sense among Europeans that the transatlantic relationship has become less dependable, increasingly shaped by unilateral moves by Washington rather than a shared purpose.

Tariffs, industrial subsidies, and the America First doctrine have made many Europeans feel that Washington no longer treats them as partners, but as competitors for jobs, technology, and strategic leverage.

The economy is central to this rupture. The EU depends heavily on open markets, predictable supply chains, and stable trade relations. Yet the United States has increasingly embraced protectionism, especially in strategic sectors like semiconductors, electric vehicles, and clean energy.

Worse still, the White House has been repeatedly using tariffs as a tool for selfish gains. In early 2026, Washington has threatened 10% to 25% tariffs on imports from eight European countries in an attempt to force a deal for the "complete and total purchase" of Greenland.

"Blackmail" is how Europe responded to the threat. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson made it clear that Sweden "will not allow ourselves to be blackmailed." Calling the tariff threat "unacceptable," French President Emmanuel Macron urged Europeans to respond in a united and coordinated manner, should the measures be confirmed.

Whether in trade, climate policy or security, the message has too often been that Europe must adapt to American decisions rather than shape them. The more Washington appears to govern through pressure, the more it collides with Europe's instincts.

Against that backdrop, China appears to many Europeans as a practical partner. Despite differences, China offers something the US increasingly does not: scale, market access, and a willingness to engage on economic terms. For European companies and policymakers, China is not a rival to be feared; it is a vast market, a manufacturing powerhouse, and a crucial player in the technologies that will shape the next decade.

This is especially true in the green transition. For Europe, investments in batteries, solar technologies, electric vehicles, grid infrastructure, and rare-earth supply chains are vital to decarbonize its economy. China's lead in these sectors creates opportunity. Cooperation with China can help Europe accelerate its energy transition, lower costs, and expand access to the technologies it needs. In a world facing economic fragmentation, pragmatic engagement with China is the route to resilience rather than dependency.

The emerging European view is not simple pro-China sentiment. It is a recognition that the old world of automatic transatlantic loyalty is giving way to a more multipolar reality. If the US is increasingly seen as unpredictable and China as economically cooperative, Europe will hedge. It is widening its room for interactions with Beijing. That is not betrayal; it is survival.

The real lesson of the poll is that Europe no longer wants to be trapped in someone else's rivalry. It wants strategic autonomy. It wants to avoid being pulled into American tariff wars or a bipolar contest that leaves little space for European interests.

With the White House repeatedly betraying allies’ interests for its selfish gains, the shift in public opinion will continue: The United States will look less like a protector and more like a source of disruption, while China will look more like a necessary opportunity.

The author Liu Jianxi is a Beijing-based analyst of political and international relations. With 10 years of experience in media, she writes on topics pertaining to the US, the EU, and the Middle East.

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