Europe Is Ready to Team Up on China -- if Trump Is

Contributing sentiments towards policy:

60% : It would be very much in the U.S. interest for the EU (as one of the world's largest single markets) to adopt similar regulations to avoid forcing itself into the position of a technological island on e-mobility while China continues to be a research and development and production hub for the rest of the world.
58% : In this vein, Europeans could also discuss with Trump a joint approach to standards on internet-connected vehicles.
56% : In his own interest, Trump would be well advised to give proposals by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen a hearing.
53% : A trade escalation was only avoided a year into Trump's first term when then-Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker -- who went out of his way to invite Trump golfing -- made a promise to buy more soybeans and liquefied natural gas.
52% : Trump has a crucial choice to make.
44% : Only in its 15th sanctions package adopted in mid-December did the EU start to impose somewhat serious sanctions on some Chinese actors supplying drone and microelectronic components to Russia.
40% : But Trump should nevertheless consider how she has developed a notably ambitious agenda on one of his own policy priorities, namely getting serious about the threats China presents to Europe's prosperity and security.
37% : Yet, when deciding how to approach trade issues with Europe, Trump and his team should look beyond the understandable frustration with what they see as a "too little, too late" China policy.
36% : This shows that it is ultimately also in the self-interest of a self-centered individual such as Trump to use U.S. leverage to cut a favorable deal with the EU rather than pushing the continent closer to Beijing.
35% : If Trump chooses to give negotiations with von der Leyen and other EU leaders a chance before unleashing tariffs, he might achieve a decent deal on trade and push Europe on a more forceful trajectory vis-à-vis Beijing.
31% : Juncker and Trump seemed to share a personal chemistry -- a chemistry that von der Leyen may not be able to match.
30% : In April 2018, French President Emmanuel Macron approached Trump with an offer: "Let's work together, we both have a China problem."
29% : Lastly, while the EU is in a more vulnerable position than during Trump's first term, due to the war on its doorstep and an economic malaise in many key countries, it does have leverage to hit back at the United States during a trade war.
12% : According to a media report, Trump responded that the EU is "worse than China" and continued with a rant about Germany and cars.

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