European leaders call for unity with US against China
- French and German foreign ministers say Brussels and Washington should ‘consult’ to coordinate their approach
- President-elect Joe Biden echoed that view, saying US needs to be ‘aligned with other democracies’
In a rare joint opinion piece, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and his German counterpart Heiko Maas outlined their call in The Washington Post on Monday, less than two weeks after the US election.
“With Biden, greater transatlantic unity will be possible with regard to autocrats and countries that seek to enhance their power by undermining international or regional order. But a principled approach does not exclude dialogue and cooperation,” they wrote.
“Under a Biden administration, the compass needle of US foreign policy will continue to gravitate toward China, which we see as a partner, competitor and systemic rival at the same time.”
Biden echoed that view on Monday, saying Washington would count on its allies to confront Beijing over unequal trade practices.
