Western countries 'wary' of joining US in Cold War effort against China: The Economist

LONDON -- Western countries are "wary" of joining a United States-led coalition in a Cold War effort to contain China's rise, the London-based Economist said recently.

Citing a Western diplomat in Beijing, the Economist said "such countries as Britain, France and Germany 'are close to accepting the inevitability of China's rise,' and so are out of alignment with America."

"Lots of Western democracies are fractious and mistrustful, especially after four years of Trumpian bridge-burning," the report said.

European and Asian countries alike "are wary of joining America in anything resembling a cold-war effort" to contain China's rise, especially if it jeopardizes profitable trade relationships, said the report.

The report noted that French President Emmanuel Macron said this year that it would be counter-productive for Western powers "to join all together against China."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has also spoken out against the "building of blocs," it said.

The report also highlighted disunity among EU members as well as within the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, which consists of the United States, Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, regarding China.

Countries like Greece enjoy close investment ties with China, said the report.

In recent weeks, New Zealand's government declared itself uncomfortable with the intelligence-sharing pact's geopolitical statements, it said.