‘West as we knew it no longer exists,’ EU Commission chief says as US tariffs bring Brussels and Beijing closer together

With the world being thrown into disorder by tensions, tariffs and wars, the West is not what it used to be, the President of the European Commission (EC) Ursula von der Leyen has noted in comments for the German press.

While hoping to see America’s levies abolished, the Brussels official insisted everyone else is now “asking for more trade with Europe.” Coinciding with her statements, a new WTO report has just forecasted a spike in Chinese exports to the EU.

U.S.-China clash is changing world order, von der Leyen claims

History is back, some 35 years after it was proclaimed over with the fall of the Berlin wall, the head of the EU’s executive arm remarked in an extensive interview with the prominent German weekly Die Zeit, covering a range of hot topics.

“What we had perceived as a world order is becoming a world disorder, triggered not least by the power struggle between China and the United States, but of course also by Putin’s imperialist ambitions,” Ursula von der Leyen elaborated.

She is convinced the European Union must be ready to “go out into the big wide world” and “play a very active role” in shaping the new global order. “The West as we knew it no longer exists,” von der Leyen emphasized.

Insisting the “friendship between Americans and Europeans remains,” despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs and geopolitical moves, she also pointed out that in the new reality “many other states are seeking to draw closer to us,” listing nations from Iceland to New Zealand.

Europe is ready to negotiate with the US.

We have offered zero-for-zero tariffs for industrial goods.

Because we’re always ready for a good deal.

But we’re also prepared to respond with countermeasures.

And protect ourselves against indirect effects through trade diversion. pic.twitter.com/hpZ77TXH4B

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) April 7, 2025

Amid Trump’s tariffs, all want to trade with EU, EC President says

“Everyone is asking for more trade with Europe – and it’s not just about economic ties,” von der Leyen stated, bragging about “having countless talks” with leaders from the EU’s trading partners. Without mentioning it explicitly, she also recently spoke with Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang.

In a phone call earlier this month, the two discussed the state of EU-China relations in a year marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties. The EC President stressed their responsibility, as two of the world’s largest markets, to “support a strong reformed trading system.”

According to the read-out, Ursula Von der Leyen emphasized “China’s critical role in addressing possible trade diversion caused by tariffs.” The call fuels speculation of an imminent thaw in EU-China relations after years of tensions, Euronews noted in an article.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) expects the economic decoupling of China and the U.S. to result in a serious diversion of trade that could lead to a 6% increase in Chinese exports to Europe. The report also foresees some European exports being diverted to other economies.

While the EU is facing 20% U.S. tariffs, paused for 90 days, the People’s Republic has to deal with 245% in new tariffs. “We must be very vigilant that Chinese goods do not flood our market now because of the trade war between the U.S. and China,” von der Leyen stressed in her interview with Zeit.

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