Differences raise doubts over bloc's influence: Experts

Compared with previous G7 summits, this year's gathering in France is marked by increasingly visible rifts between the United States and Europe, which could undermine the bloc's global influence and weaken its ability to shape international affairs, experts say.

The tensions were laid bare on Monday when US President Donald Trump threatened to impose a 100 percent tariff on French champagne and wine unless France abolished its 3 percent digital services tax on major US technology companies.

French President Emmanuel Macron called for "firm" and "respectful" dialogue, saying the US and the European Union had already reached a tariff agreement and that maintaining stability should now be the priority.

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"Tariffs do no one any good, including the United States," Macron told French broadcaster TF1.

Jian Junbo, director of the Center for China-Europe Relations at Fudan University in Shanghai, said the tariff levels between the US and Europe had historically remained low, averaging around 1 to 2 percent for many industrial products. Under the new framework, however, tariffs on a large share of EU exports to the US could rise to about 15 percent.

"Such a change will inevitably affect trans-Atlantic trade and may also influence the broader balance of global trade," he said.

The divergences between Washington and its European allies extend far beyond trade. The summit also marks Trump's first face-to-face meeting with Western leaders since he threatened to withdraw from NATO after allies refused to support his military campaign against Iran.

US news website Politico reported that European governments want Washington to continue applying maximum pressure on Russia and maintain strong support for Ukraine, amid uncertainty over whether Trump shares that approach.

Concerns have intensified after Trump announced plans to pull thousands of US troops out of Europe. Meanwhile, European leaders have repeatedly raised concerns over Washington's increasing use of export controls, warning that such measures risk disrupting supply chains and distorting international competition.

"The US is becoming more self-interested in managing its alliances," Jian said. "Washington increasingly expects its partners to take on greater responsibilities, while its willingness to provide international public goods is declining."

The growing tensions between the US and Europe will inevitably affect the unity of their alliance and could even "reduce the effectiveness and influence of the G7 itself", he said.

Ding Chun, director of the Center for European Studies at Fudan University, said the disputes are unfolding against the backdrop of the West's declining global influence.

"The combined GDP of Europe and the US once accounted for more than 60 percent of the global economy. Today it has fallen to around 40 percent," Ding said.

As a result, the West is becoming less capable of acting as a unified force in coordinating global affairs, he said. Europe, meanwhile, is facing mounting frictions with the US over trade, security, defense and even values.

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"Instead of jointly shaping international rules, the two sides are increasingly focused on defending their own interests," Ding said.

Commenting on the possibility of disagreements at the ongoing G7 summit, Max Bergmann, a Europe expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told the New York Post, "There's always the possibility that things might snap, and it might get rather dramatic."

In a commentary published last week, French daily Le Monde described the G7 as "indisputably obsolescent", arguing that the grouping no longer reflects the realities of the global economy, even though no viable alternative has yet emerged.

Ding said Europe seeks greater strategic autonomy, but it cannot simply walk away from the United States.

"That contradiction is likely to remain a defining feature of trans-Atlantic relations for years to come," he said.

Contact the writers at zhangzhouxiang@chinadaily.com.cn