https://www.scmp.com/rss/525501/feed The latest news and updates on diplomatic and trade ties between the United States and the European Union. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Orange Wang,Yuanyue Dang Orange Wang,Yuanyue Dang The US-Israel war on Iran could push Nato closer to becoming a “nominal” alliance, although it was unlikely to disband any time soon, a Chinese observer said. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticised the transatlantic defence alliance since returning to the White House last year, accusing allies of “free‑riding” on US security and demanding greater military and financial contributions. That rhetoric has only intensified in recent weeks, with accusations that Nato was failing to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349551/will-trumps-iran-war-loyalty-test-spell-end-nato?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349551/will-trumps-iran-war-loyalty-test-spell-end-nato?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 22:00:14 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham A long-awaited EU debate on China has been shelved in favour of the Middle East crisis, highlighting how Europe is struggling to treat Beijing as a strategic priority despite mounting economic pressure. The European Commission’s security college was set to meet this coming Monday to debate the challenges posed by Beijing, as part of what officials were referring to internally as “China week”. It would have been the first strategic discussion among the bloc’s 27 commissioners under President... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349548/china-sidelined-eu-shelves-rare-strategy-debate-middle-east-crisis-takes-priority?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349548/china-sidelined-eu-shelves-rare-strategy-debate-middle-east-crisis-takes-priority?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 13:00:27 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen US President Donald Trump’s renewed threat to take Greenland when America is bogged down in a war with Iran will only deepen the fracture with Washington’s European allies, according to analysts. Trump has repeatedly criticised Europe since returning to the White House. He has derided Nato as a “paper tiger” that Russian President Vladimir Putin is “not afraid of” and last week threatened to withdraw the US from the transatlantic security alliance. Europe, meanwhile, has pushed back and kept a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349295/paper-tiger-whats-behind-donald-trumps-renewed-greenland-threat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349295/paper-tiger-whats-behind-donald-trumps-renewed-greenland-threat?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:00:11 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang Germany’s defence chief has called on the US to honour its security commitments to the Indo-Pacific and signalled that Berlin will keep raising its military presence in the region. During his visit to Australia this week, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius shared concerns about “dangerous activities” in the South China Sea and sounded an alarm over Beijing’s “close” monitoring of Washington and its allies’ management of the Iran and Ukraine conflicts. “To me, one thing is crystal clear.... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348118/german-defence-minister-urges-strong-us-presence-indo-pacific-amid-china-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348118/german-defence-minister-urges-strong-us-presence-indo-pacific-amid-china-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 09:00:11 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said he can imagine a trade deal with China in the future, signalling a new softening stance towards Beijing in European capitals. “We have set quite a lot in motion when it comes to trade policy. I can also envisage further agreements, for example, in the longer term an agreement with the People’s Republic of China,” Merz said in the German parliament on Wednesday. Merz’s remarks underscore how surging trade and geopolitical tensions with Washington are... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348030/germanys-merz-floats-eu-china-trade-deal-capitals-soften-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348030/germanys-merz-floats-eu-china-trade-deal-capitals-soften-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 12:00:51 +0000