China smells fear in Europe, Plus Jack Ma returns as Beijing's propaganda stooge -- China Boss News 2.21.25

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What happened?

A seismic geopolitical shift unfolded at this year’s Munich Security Conference - one that even the most tone-deaf bureaucrats in Beijing could sense.

The event, historically a reaffirmation of Western unity, instead exposed deep cracks in transatlantic ties, giving China an opportunity it has long sought—a divided, weakened Europe waiting for Beijing’s alternatives.

The moment came when US Vice President JD Vance delivered a speech that left European leaders stunned.

Instead of addressing the pressing global threats posed by Russia and China, Vance framed internal European governance issues as the primary challenge.

His remarks, filled with inflammatory rhetoric and perceived as a thinly veiled endorsement of Europe’s far-right movements, triggered immediate backlash.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius called his comparisons of European governance to authoritarian regimes “not acceptable.”

EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas accused the US of “trying to pick a fight with us.”

Former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt slammed the speech as “blatant interference” in Germany’s electoral politics.

Major European outlets, including Le Monde, Politico, and The Guardian, condemned the speech as an ideological assault on Europe, filled with distortions and misrepresentations.

Why it matters.

Peacemaker

Sensing a Europe bruised and disoriented, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi wasted no time in positioning Beijing as a reliable partner.

He spoke of "joint prosperity rather than rivalry," reassuring European leaders that China saw them as a vital pillar in a “multipolar world.”

Wang’s message was clear—while Washington descended into culture wars and petty provocations, Beijing was offering a steady and pragmatic hand.

Of course, China’s charm offensive was laced with hypocrisy.

For years, Beijing has sought to fragment the European Union, courting individual nations to weaken the bloc’s unified stance on trade, security, and human rights.

But now, with Washington’s leadership in question and European skepticism of US commitment at an all-time high, China pounced on European anxieties, looking for an opening.

Nowhere was this clearer than in China’s diplomatic maneuvering with Germany.

Wang Yi’s meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on the MSC sidelines last Saturday underscored Beijing’s strategy—deepening economic ties with Europe’s largest economy while exploiting divisions within the EU.

Germany’s reluctance to impose tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles last October signaled to Beijing that economic self-interest could override political concerns.

Wang also positioned China as a potential mediator in the Russia-Ukraine war, claiming that Beijing and Europe shared the same goal—peace.

Blood Minerals

Amid the seismic wave in geopolitical realignment, another rift has deepened—one between the US and Ukraine.

What many don’t realize is that President Donald Trump has been leveraging the US’ continued military support for Ukraine to get access to the country’s rare earths.

Ukraine holds an estimated $26 trillion worth of these critical resources, essential for defense and energy industries.

As China dominates global rare earth production, Washington saw an opportunity to secure an alternative supply chain through Ukraine. The deal was simple: Keep US weapons and funding flowing in exchange for privileged access to Ukraine’s minerals.

But from Kyiv’s perspective, it was extortion.

As negotiations stalled, tensions between Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy exploded into open hostility.

Trump has accused Zelenskyy of being a “dictator” and suggested Ukraine was responsible for its own invasion—rhetoric that aligned with Kremlin propaganda.

European leaders reaffirmed their support for Kyiv, but Trump’s words raised deep fears that Washington could push for a peace deal that favored Russia and sidelined Europe.

Suspicions were reinforced during last week’s US-Russia meeting in Saudi Arabia—without Ukraine or Europe present.

When Kyiv objected, Trump spit back: "Today I heard, 'oh, we weren't invited.' Well you've been there for three years, you should have ended it... you should have never started it. You could have made a deal."

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent later confirmed frustrations within the administration, criticizing Ukraine for failing to sign the minerals deal.

He framed Trump’s economic strategy as a means to deepen US-Ukraine ties before using that leverage against Russia. But what was meant to be a calculated strategy had become, in Bessent’s own words, “a media circus.”

‘Yalta 2.0’

With Donald Trump openly questioning US aid to Ukraine and holding closed-door meetings without Kyiv or Brussels, analysts warned that a new “Yalta Conference” may be taking shape—this time, with Washington, Moscow, and Beijing deciding Ukraine’s fate without its input.

The parallels to 1945, when Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin divided postwar Europe, are striking.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb echoed this historical inflection point, likening the moment to 1918, 1945, and 1989—all years that reshaped the global order. He urged Europe to take greater responsibility for its own defense but stressed that transatlantic unity remains essential.

Yet Trump’s latest moves have only deepened uncertainty. His proposal for a high-stakes summit with Putin and Xi Jinping to discuss nuclear arms control, his push to reinstate Russia in the G7, and his call to halve military spending have sent shockwaves through European capitals. The fear? A US disengagement from European security that leaves the continent vulnerable and fractured.

As Washington trolls and “disrupts,” China maneuvers, hoping to position itself as a key player in shaping Ukraine’s postwar future, floating proposals to send PLA “peacekeepers” and offering to help rebuild Ukraine.

At the Munich Security Conference, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi hinted at this strategy in discussions with NATO’s secretary-general, underscoring China’s peacekeeping record and subtly signaling Beijing’s willingness to fill any vacuum left by the West.

China sees what’s at stake.

A Russian victory—or even a settlement favoring Moscow—would reinforce Beijing’s position on Taiwan, proving that might makes right and that US influence is waning.

Conversely, a Western-backed resolution would expose China’s limits in shaping global conflicts, particularly if Washington moves closer to Taiwan. Recent US actions suggest a shift toward boosting Taiwan’s global standing, complicating Beijing’s long-term calculus.

Ultimately, while Trump may believe China will cooperate—and it might, as long as it serves its own interests—Beijing will never fully align with Washington, as their goals are fundamentally opposed.

A frozen conflict in Ukraine on Putin’s terms would benefit China far more than a decisive resolution, giving Beijing greater leverage on the global stage.

If Trump pushes for such a deal, it won’t just alienate Ukraine—it will fracture trust between the US and Europe.

But a divided West, consumed by internal discord and too distracted to counter China’s ascent would be Xi Jinping’s perfect outcome.

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