US President Donald Trump's trade policy, launched with his return to the White House in January 2025, has taken an unexpected turn, strengthening the position of China and its leader Xi Jinping on the world stage, The Wall Street Journal wrote in an analytical article published on April 5. The introduction of US tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico and the European Union, which reached 25%, instead of the expected weakening of US competitors, led to a restructuring of global economic ties. Europe, faced with trade barriers from Washington, began to actively restore partnership with Beijing, and Asian countries such as Japan and South Korea accelerated the search for alternative markets, increasingly turning to China as a key player.

According to the publication, Trump’s strategy aimed at returning industrial production to the US and reducing dependence on foreign supplies has backfired. Instead of isolating China, its economic influence has only increased. European leaders, previously cautious in relations with China due to pressure from Washington, now see Beijing as a reliable partner for mitigating the effects of American tariffs. China, in turn, has taken advantage of the moment to strengthen its position in global supply chains, offering favorable conditions and increasing exports to countries affected by Trump’s policies. This, as the WSJ notes, has become a kind of triumph for Xi Jinping, who has turned the US trade war into a tool for changing the world order in China’s favor.

Asian economies are also adapting to the new reality. Countries traditionally oriented toward the American market have begun to rebuild trade routes, relying on China as the center of gravity. This is especially noticeable in Southeast Asia, where countries such as Vietnam and Thailand are increasingly integrating into the Chinese economic orbit, concluding agreements within the framework of the “One Belt, One Road” initiative. This turn, according to the WSJ, threatens the long-term interests of the United States, undermining its influence in regions that Washington considered its zone of dominance.

To complete the picture, it’s worth noting the latest open-source data. According to Reuters on April 3, 2025, the EU has already increased imports of Chinese goods by 15% since the beginning of the year, including electronics and cars, in response to US tariffs. Bloomberg reports that Germany and France, the EU’s largest economies, are in talks with Beijing to expand cooperation on green technologies, a direct result of the break with the US. At the same time, Canada, faced with tariffs on steel and timber, has begun to ship more raw materials to China, as CBC News reported on April 4. These moves demonstrate how Trump’s policies have unwittingly pushed allies closer to his main geopolitical rival.