Core Viewpoint - The resurgence of "America First" is prompting the EU to enter an era of "strategic awakening," with the negative impact of U.S. tariffs on the EU economy likely to manifest sooner than the positive effects of fiscal expansion, which may only begin to outweigh the negative impacts by Q4 of this year [1][4][13]. Group 1: Strategic Awakening in the EU - The unilateralism of the Trump administration is increasing anxiety among European nations, leading to a consensus on increasing defense spending within the EU [2][13]. - Germany's €1 trillion fiscal expansion plan has completed the legislative process and will be discussed after the new government is formed [2][13]. - The EU's €800 billion proposal for "rearming Europe" is actively progressing, with national exception clause applications approved in July [2][4]. Group 2: Impact of Tariffs on the EU Economy - The static assessment indicates that U.S. tariffs will raise the effective tariff rate on imports from the EU by 9.6 percentage points, potentially reducing EU exports by approximately 1.9% and impacting EU GDP by about 0.5% [4][12]. - The pharmaceutical and organic chemical sectors are particularly vulnerable to these tariffs, with countries like Ireland, Finland, Italy, and Germany being sensitive to U.S. tariff policies [4][10]. Group 3: Fiscal Expansion and Economic Growth - Increased fiscal spending on defense and infrastructure is expected to effectively boost economic growth in Europe, with France and Germany likely to be the primary beneficiaries [4][18]. - The positive impact of fiscal expansion may take longer to materialize compared to the immediate negative effects of tariffs, with expectations that the latter will begin to diminish by Q4 of this year [4][12]. Group 4: Investment Strategies and Market Sentiment - Investor sentiment is crucial for the EU economy to avoid recession, with many European companies focusing on equipment upgrades and product R&D rather than capacity expansion [18]. - Chinese companies are encouraged to leverage the EU's fiscal expansion to accelerate strategic transformations and seek potential opportunities in Europe, particularly in sectors like electrical and optical equipment [18].