China has launched a charm offensive with the European Union since U.S. President Donald Trump took office, shifting its stance on trade negotiations and signaling closer cooperation on a range of other issues, European diplomats say.
European envoys in Brussels and Beijing sense a greater urgency from China to find allies willing to stand up for globalization amid fears that Trump could undermine it with his protectionist "America First" policies.
"Trump is pushing China and Europe together," said one Beijing-based diplomat, citing Chinese support for trade, combating climate change and the United Nations — all areas where the new U.S. president is seeking a change of tack.
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