US-Asia Reshoring and Brussels-Beijing Relations

Trump’s tariff strategy aims to attract direct industrial investments from every country and to counter regional reshoring trends through third-party countries such as Vietnam (46 per cent tariffs), India (26 per cent tariffs), Indonesia (32 per cent tariffs), and Southeast Asian countries, as alternatives to China. Biden’s policies had led to a regional repositioning of value chains, while Trump’s approach promotes a direct shift toward the United States, focusing on rebalancing trade and investments in the U.S.

This strategy, targeting all nations, could impact trade dynamics in Asia, pushing some countries to favor stronger collaboration with China, which is the largest player in the region.Italy has recently developed an Export Action Plan for non-EU markets, with a focus on Asian markets such as China. This reflects a growing interest in strengthening economic ties with Beijing, which offers opportunities in high-tech and high-quality sectors.

The EU has a tool that enables it to respond decisively to economic coercion practices by third countries, such as discriminatory tariffs, boycotts, or other measures that threaten the Union’s economic sovereignty. Its application follows a structured system that includes, first, dialogue, followed by proportionate measures such as tariffs on goods, services, investments, public procurement, and other strategic sectors, should a negotiated resolution not be reached.The EU will notify the WTO of its decision by April 15, the date when the first counter-tariffs of 10 per cent and 25 per cent will also come into effect, followed by further measures on May 16 and December 1. The European Commission specifies that the countermeasures can be suspended at any time if the United States agrees to a fair negotiated solution.

The European Union is one of the three major poles of international trade, alongside the United States and China. With about 15 per cent of global trade in goods and services, the EU is the largest trade bloc in the world.