EU and China – the dragon extending its reach

The EU is belatedly wakening up to the problem of China which is the EU’s second biggest trading partner. China is encroaching on eastern and southern Europe, with investment and commercial tie-ups which favour the monolithic Chinese state system. China already owns Greece’s largest port, Piraeus, and has, to the consternation of Berlin and Paris, just signed a memorandum of understanding with Italy regarding future investment in Italian infrastructure. The anxiety being that China shows no indication of reforming an authoritarian, state-driven economic system and European firms are not on a level playing field when competing with Chinese firms with their heavily protectionist internal market.

China’s fearsomely determined 7^th house Mars Pluto in Leo making it an aggressive partner sits uncomfortably with the EU’s Fixed financial planets – Taurus Moon in the 8^th, Venus in the speculative 5^th, Uranus in the 11^th. The relationship chart has a power-struggling composite Sun Mercury square Pluto; a highly-strung, bad-judgement Uranus opposition Node square Neptune; a tied together Water Grand Trine; and a stressed, fated Yod. So a complicated and intertwined connection with ties that are difficult to break.  It’ll be under maximum pressure with huge challenges in the next three years with tr Pluto opposition Uranus and square Neptune; and in a very disruptive phase till Uranus moves out of Taurus in the mid 2020s.

The Italy China memorandum was signed at 2.11 pm 23 March in Rome, which puts an ultra-ambitious, ruthless Mars in Taurus in the 10^th trine Saturn Pluto; with a radical-new-direction and divisive Uranus on the midheaven; with a pie-in-the-sky over-hopeful Jupiter square Neptune; and a Yod of Mars sextile Node inconjunct Jupiter, which could either bring positive changes to the masses or short-circuit through over-confidence.

The Italy chart resonates surprisingly well with China. China’s Jupiter in Capricorn is conjunct the Italy North Node in the 2^nd, which would fit with China bringing a much need injection of cash; with Italy’s Jupiter conjunct the China Mars Pluto, for confident adventures together.

The relationship chart is well-knitted together with a Water Grand Trine of Jupiter in the 10^th trine Node trine Mars; with Node opposition Saturn and Mars opposition Sun Mercury Neptune. Success is implicit but there are dangers with a ruthless, controlling composite Mars Pluto opposition Sun Mercury – it could turn ugly very easily. Though there’s nothing too problematic till 2021 when tr Neptune starts undermining some good feelings.

An additional thought on EU matters is that France looks likely to overtake Italy as the fourth most indebted country in the world after Macron caved to the gilets jaune. His options are limited with an over-weighted and expensive state sector which he clearly can’t cut given the opposition to it on the street and already extra-high levels of taxation. The Bank of France looks to be sinking into a Neptunian swamp over the next three years.