WELL, YES: ‘Naive’ Europe must snub China if it refuses market access, says ex-Nato chief.

But he called on Europe to prepare to take a stronger stance and move parts of its supply chains from China to “stable and reliable” alternatives if China failed to offer reciprocity for the European Union.

“Europeans have been too naive for too long,” said Rasmussen, a former prime minister of Denmark who led Nato, the transatlantic security alliance, from 2009 to 2014.

“We had all hoped that we could live harmoniously and that over time engaging with China would lead to it being more like Hong Kong. Unfortunately, under [Chinese President] Xi Jinping it is Hong Kong that has become more like China.”

The EU tends to act mercantilist when negotiating with the US, but too often bends the knee for China.