China shouldn’t view a tired US as signifying a Europe ready to pivot
AI Summary
US troop withdrawals from Germany have raised concerns in Europe amidst escalating tensions with Iran, reflecting ongoing political struggles between the US and its allies. This development highlights a critical moment for international relations.
When US President Donald Trump announced that 5,000 US troops would leave Germany, the immediate reading in Western capitals was political: another round in Trump’s running quarrel with European allies, triggered by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s criticism of Washington’s handling of the war with Iran. For Beijing, the more interesting reading is structural. The drawdown coincides with a period in which Foreign Minister Wang Yi has spent much of 2026 cultivating a “partners not rivals”...