'Secondary sanctions' call for vigilance

The latest reports that Washington is pressing the European Union to impose "secondary sanctions" on China for its normal trade with Russia once again expose the US administration's habitual abuse of economic coercion, its self-serving "art of the deal" mentality, and its obsession with forcing others to shoulder its geopolitical burdens.

According to Reuters, senior US officials recently urged Brussels to slap punitive tariffs on China and India, even suggesting measures as high as 100 percent, in order to squeeze Russia's economy. Washington went further, telling EU envoys that the US itself was prepared to adopt such tariffs — but only if Europe joined in.

This tactic is not about safeguarding Europe's interests, nor about ensuring global stability. It is about merging trade disputes with geopolitical crises to maximize the United States' leverage and to drive wedges between major economies.

China has made its position clear. Its normal trade and economic exchanges with all trading partners, including Russia, are legitimate, reasonable and lawful, and should not be interfered with or disrupted. The country firmly opposes any unilateral sanctions or long-arm jurisdiction that lack basis in international law.

Washington has no right to demand that Brussels punish third party countries simply because they refuse to dance to the US' tune. The EU, for its part, should exercise prudence and uphold the principle of strategic autonomy. The idea of imposing "secondary sanctions" on China is not only politically absurd but also economically untenable.

Europe and the US themselves remain embroiled in trade disputes — from steel and aluminum tariffs to long-running disputes over subsidies for aircraft manufacturers. Against this backdrop, the EU should beware the possible cost of starting another destabilizing tariff war, this time targeting its major trading partner.

The political turbulence surrounding European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's State of the Union address on Wednesday offers an acute reminder of the dangers of blindly following Washington's lead. Instead of presenting a vision of confident leadership, Von der Leyen faced a storm of criticism from lawmakers across the political spectrum, with many accusing her of bending too readily to US demands. From concessions in transatlantic trade talks to ambivalence in dealing with the Ukraine crisis, her compromises were branded as weakening Europe's independence and harming its farmers, industries and broader global standing.

Europe cannot afford to let its policies be dictated by the US' intent on weaponizing tariffs and sanctions for its domestic political games. To do so would risk entrenching divisions inside the EU, further alienating key economic partners and worsening Europe's competitiveness.

Washington's approach is rooted in the delusion that tariffs and sanctions can serve as cure-alls for trade imbalances, domestic discontent and international crises. Yet reality has shown time and again that these tools only aggravate tensions, disrupt global supply chains and make the US isolated. Economic coercion, trade bullying and weaponized tariffs will not solve the US' problems.

For the US and the EU to target China or any third party in their bilateral dealings is a misstep that undermines the very international cooperation they claim to champion.

What Europe needs now is clarity of purpose, not subordination to the US' short-term tactics. It should remember that China is not only a major trading partner but also a crucial collaborator in addressing climate change, technological innovation and global governance. Allowing Washington to poison this relationship with threats of "secondary sanctions" would be a betrayal of Europe's own interests.

Both the US and the EU should realize it is only a pipe dream to think tariffs or sanctions can be a substitute for genuine diplomacy and constructive engagement. For Europe, the choice is stark: either continue to pay the price for the US' "art of the deal" while being kept away from the table, or chart a course that truly serves the continent's long-term prosperity and stability.