Less than two weeks after Brussels and Beijing struck a surprise deal to avert an escalating trade dispute, their fragile rapprochement has descended into a battle over who blinked first.
In Brussels and Berlin, officials are emboldened by what they consider proof that collective EU pressure can force Chinese concessions. Rather than resting on their laurels, they are cooking up a fresh batch of trade restrictions.
Beijing, on the other hand, has bristled at the idea that it can be strong-armed into yielding to Europe’s demands, even more so the suggestion that further concessions may be coming. State media has carried numerous warnings against European hubris.
It has resulted in an awkward, terse trade peace: an agreement that was supposed to defuse a trade war has led to both sides, rhetorically at least, hardening their positions. With verbal volleys flying back and forth, doubts are already surfacing over whether this delicate ceasefire can hold until the next round of negotiations in January.