China, EU must work together for free trade

Contrary to US ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison's claim prior to the meeting that "the overall theme" of the transatlantic organization's latest summit in Brussels would be its "strength and unity," it was the opposite that was on display; it ended up showcasing discord.

In the same manner he jolted other leaders at last month's G7 meeting in Quebec, Canada, US President Donald Trump again demonstrated the disruptive potential of his "America First" approach to international relations.

In the same manner he has been seeking to extort concessions from other allies and trading partners, including China, Trump threatened to erect trade barriers for European auto exports should the United States' NATO allies fail to satisfy his demand for an immediate, substantial increase in military spending. To his administration, all international arrangements inconsistent with US centrism are "unfair" and thus must be renegotiated, or simply discarded.