Uldis Šmits (Latvia) on China, Europe and the US in the 21st century

With increasing frequency the US and China are being referred to as the G2, the two superpowers of the 21st century.

Writing in the daily Latvijas Avīze Uldis Šmits examines Europe’s role in this constellation:

“Again and again the question arises of to what extent the US and the EU are at all capable of acting in tandem either politically or above all economically.

A European Parliament declaration on the development of transatlantic relations stresses the partnership between the US and the EU as the ‘most important’.

But such terms are losing their meaning: almost every partnership of the EU today is considered ’strategic’ or ‘privileged’, not to mention all the bilateral partnerships between certain major EU states. It’s difficult to devise a common strategy with a political content behind all this.

Obama on the other hand is relying on a ’strategic dialogue’ with China, and despite the difficult conditions this cooperation could lead to a new economic boom – or to a new and even more serious crisis.”