USA-China-EU: Between Cooperation and Fragmentation In Global Trade

The contemporary international trade system has reached a critical juncture where economic logic yields to geopolitical imperatives. Relations among the USA, China, and the EU shape not only the flow of goods but the foundations of global stability. The year 2026 brought an intensification of tensions, revealing deep contradictions between declared cooperation and the reality of protectionism. US-China-EU trade relations in 2026 were marked by escalating tariffs and geopolitical tensions, with Trump’s administration imposing high tariffs on both China and the EU, leading to a 16.6% drop in US-China trade while China strengthened ties with ASEAN and the EU. Chinese…