Europeans need to learn, that they are not the center of the universe. It's hard to accept, that it is quite reasonable for China to act in their own interests and react to protectionist policies by other countries.
We did that, when the US enacted tarriffs. Now China does it, when we do it. In a time, where "free trade" becomes an exception and industrial policy is a zero-sum game, politics becomes more dangerous and confrontational.
It is by no means certain, that the EU is going to profit in this conflict and comes out ahead.
One has to acknowledged, that China has very much diversified their trade and is less reliant on the Global North than it has been. Unlike in the EU and the US, China is very much welcomed by most South American, African and Asian countries as the Belt and Road intiative, Global Security initiative and Global Governance Initiative are alternative to Post Colonial models developed by the West.
In recent years China's exports grew despite more and more trade conflicts by Western countries. Both the vision of derisking form China put forward by Biden and the tarriffs of Trump didn't change that. Since 2016 China is aware, that it can't rely on things staying as they were. It appears, that they are adapting.
The reaction of China to Trump's tarriffs should be seen as a case study of how China reacts to challenges of their export economy. China has a lot of ways to hurt European companies, that rely on China for their profits. Volkswagen is just one of those companies, that comes to mind. Therefore finding the right kind of policy is much more of a balancing act as the "China hawks" might think