Key US allies court China as Trump drives strategic hedging
Updated
Updated · China-US Focus · May 4
Key US allies court China as Trump drives strategic hedging
9 articles · Updated · China-US Focus · May 4
Spain's Pedro Sanchez visited Beijing for the fourth time in four years, Britain signed multibillion-dollar deals, and Canada's Mark Carney pursued a strategic partnership with China.
The Philippines also signalled openness to reviving joint South China Sea energy talks with Beijing, while Trump warned allies, especially Canada, against deeper business ties with China.
The shift reflects allies' push for strategic autonomy and diversification as Washington urges partners to shoulder more security burdens, though Europe and Asian allies remain constrained by Russia and China risks.
With the Strait of Hormuz blockaded, are deals with China the only way for allies to secure their economies?
Are U.S. allies trading American unpredictability for a more perilous dependency on China?
Navigating Uncertainty: Western Engagement with China During Trump’s Second Term
Overview
Following Donald Trump's second inauguration in 2025, his aggressive trade policies and tariff hikes created global uncertainty and strained alliances. This pushed Western leaders, including Germany's Chancellor Merz and Australia's Prime Minister Albanese, to increase diplomatic engagement with China, seeking economic stability and market access. Meanwhile, China responded by redirecting trade flows and using a mix of incentives and sanctions to deepen its influence. Western nations adopted a 'risk diversification' strategy, balancing economic ties with China against security commitments to the US. Rising tensions over Taiwan and US threats of punitive tariffs further complicated this delicate balancing act, setting the stage for the pivotal Trump-Xi summit in May 2026.