The expert questioned the emergence of an economic union between China and the EU

So far, there has been no talk of an economic alliance, but now China and the European Union (EU) are eyeing each other because there are external factors that unite them. Sergey Lukonin, Head of the Economics and Politics Sector of China at the Primakov Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told Izvestia on April 11.

"The external factors are the US import duties. In relation to Europe, they have already been canceled, or rather, suspended. Accordingly, this is the factor that unites China and the EU, it is relevant for China, and for the EU it has become at least 90% potential," he explained.

According to the expert, theoretically, the EU and China have a mutual interest in strengthening their negotiating positions. Both sides are striving to demonstrate to US President Donald Trump that they have alternative regions for developing cooperation.

However, in his opinion, the likelihood of a serious expansion of trade and economic cooperation between the EU and China is limited.

According to the expert, the more actively China looks for alternative markets for its exports in order to mitigate the negative impact of US duties, the more noticeable its expansion will become. In turn, China's other partners will be wary of this expansion, as no one wants to oversaturate their market with Chinese goods.

"The European Union is interested in preserving its own industry, so as not to completely degrade. And the expansion of trade and economic cooperation with China involves receiving goods from China, and investments, well, probably the creation of some kind of joint production chains," Lukonin summed up.

Global response: a third of the global economy has imposed duties against the United States

The United States is opposed by China and the EU, but not everyone there is ready for confrontation.

On April 10, CNBC reported that Trump had increased tariffs on goods from China to 145%. In turn, US Vice President Jay Dee Vance said that the American leader wants peace, but also wants fair trade and "greater self-sufficiency for the American economy."

In turn, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on the same day that there were no winners in the trade war over tariffs. He also noted that if the United States insists on unleashing a war with duties and a trade war, then China will go to the end.