Illustration: Xia Qing/GT

A piece of magical-realism drama is unfolding on the European continent. The EU regards China as a "rival," Chinese enterprises diligently participate in infrastructure construction and empower Europe's future development - yet only to be met with the cold arrow of "forced divestment." Meanwhile, the EU considers the US an "ally," and when the US issues territorial threats over Greenland or enforces tariff extortion against Europe, the result is a submissive connivance of tolerance. This is not merely an abuse of "double standards," but also exposes Europe's strategic "spinelessness" in the face of hegemonic coercion. 

The EU has been blinded by its cognitive bias of overstretching security concept, using political manipulation to undermine normal bilateral economic and trade cooperation. According to reports, Brussels plans to compel member states to gradually phase-out Chinese made equipment from critical infrastructure, covering telecom networks, solar power systems, and even security scanners. Such measures have become increasingly common in recent years. They lack solid technical or legal justification and openly defy scientific reasoning and market logic. 

For example, Spain had previously signed a contract with Huawei for recording storage equipment. Although Madrid stressed the contract's legitimacy and said it posed "no security risk," the US and the EU insisted to allege there were indeed "serious problems." This absurd practice of turning normal economic and trade cooperation into a security issue not only infringes upon the legitimate rights of Chinese enterprises but also seriously undermines Europe's own rule of law and contractual integrity.

From the 2020 "5G Toolbox" to today's attempts to upgrade "voluntary restrictions" into binding legislation, the EU's policy trajectory clearly illustrates the path by which Brussels is gradually tightening under pressure from the US. However, wanton market interventions have not achieved the so-called "security"; on the contrary, they have forced Europe to bear enormous costs for violating economic laws. Many telecom operators warn that outright bans on Chinese suppliers will drive up consumer prices. Data shows that over 90 percent of solar panels installed in the EU are produced in China. 

Forcibly removing these cost-effective, technologically advanced supply chains not only entails exorbitant replacement costs but will also directly slow Europe's green transition and digital upgrade, causing it to hobble itself in future global competition. What European policymakers call "de-risk" has devolved into "de-development." To pander to the political paranoia of an ally across the ocean, they sacrifice not only their citizens' right to enjoy advanced technology, but also held back their own modernization.

Europe bows to the US at every turn, even at the expense of its own interests, yet it gains neither respect nor reciprocity of the US- only intensified disdain and exploitation. The US leverages tariffs and openly demands "the purchase" of Greenland, Denmark's territory. Treating an ally's territorial sovereignty as a mere "real estate transaction" is an act of blatant hegemonic aggression and humiliation. However, in the face of such blatant violations of its sovereign dignity, Europe's response has been shockingly weak. Kaja Kallas, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, even claimed that China and Russia "must be having a field day" due to "divisions among allies" - a tone both servile and dangerously misguided.

The poison of "double standards" is eroding Europe's future, and the misguided path of relying on hegemony will cause Europe to completely lose its independent soul. Economically, Europe, on the one hand, loudly proclaims "market principles" and "fair competition," accusing the Chinese government of "interfering in the market"; on the other hand, without any factual evidence, it conducts discriminatory cleansing of companies from a particular country. Politically, Europe has remained silent on the US' surprise attack on Venezuela and military pressure on Iran. However, it stated US' attempts to take over Greenland "unacceptable." 

These actions are not only hypocritical but also backfire, and have shown the world the enormous risks of the politicization of European economic environment, and instrumentalization of its market access. 

"De-sinicization" has reduced Europe into a pawn in the US' bid to maintain global technological hegemony. Some Europeans have long recognized that the risks of Europe relying on US technology far outweigh those of relying on Chinese equipment. This is a remarkably clear-headed judgement. When Europe shut out Huawei and ZTE and chose more expensive, US alternatives with slow iteration, it is effectively locking up its own technological choices and becoming a complete vassal of the US technological ecosystem.

History has repeatedly proven that politicizing economic and trade issues will not only fail to hinder China's development, but will also lead Europe further down a narrow path, ultimately resulting in a dead end of isolation and dependence. China has always viewed Europe as an indispensable force in a multipolar world and genuinely supports Europe in pursuing strategic autonomy. However, true autonomy requires independent judgment of right and wrong, not blindly following the lead of others. 

Faced with hegemonic blackmail in the icy winds of Greenland and self-imposed restrictions in Brussels' conference rooms, Europe really needs to wake up: Continuing to be mired in the quagmire of double standards will only exhaust its own vitality; only by returning to rationality and pragmatism can it take its destiny truly into its own hands.