Embattled China goes friend-shopping, but America's strongest ally shuts and bolts the door

Beijing, China: Even as President Donald Trump ramped up the economic pressure on China with new 125% tariffs, the communist regime has been trawling the globe looking for economic allies. And they may have found one in the European Union.

China and the EU are exploring ways to strengthen trade cooperation. In a recent video call, China’s commerce minister and the EU’s trade commissioner discussed resuming talks on electric vehicle tariffs and minimum price agreements. This follows the EU’s October decision to increase tariffs on Chinese EVs by up to 35.3% after a subsidy investigation.

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One of America's strongest allies, however, has firmly rebuffed China's approaches. China’s ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, appealed to Canberra to "join hands" in resisting the tariffs. However, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles dismissed the idea outright, stating, “We’re not about to make common cause with China.”

China has responded with sweeping new tariffs of 84% on all US imports, intensifying an already tense economic standoff between the world’s two largest economies. Analysts believe China is unlikely to yield under pressure.

“The US is far more dependent on Chinese imports than the other way around,” Diana Choyleva of Enodo Economics told The Guardian. “Backing down would be politically impossible for Xi Jinping.”

China’s commerce ministry denounced Washington’s tariffs as a “serious infringement” on global trade norms. An official quoted in state media outlet Xinhua warned, “There is no winner in a trade war, but we will not stand by if our rights are violated.”