China trade relations will be a key topic at this month's EU summit, though diplomats say the word "China" won't appear on the agenda.
EU member states are cautiously moving toward trade confrontation with China, which remains the bloc’s largest source of imports and has long been accused of unfair trade practices. The European Commission held a preliminary debate last Friday focused on EU-China relations, after which it stated that “the current trade and investment relationship between Europe and China is unsustainable,” and emphasized that “as economic and security interests become increasingly intertwined, stronger and more coordinated responses are needed in both areas.”
EU leaders will gather for a summit in Brussels on June 18–19 to discuss “competitiveness and global economic challenges,” avoiding any mention of Beijing. Diplomats say European Council President António Costa does not wish to exert excessive pressure on member governments over such a highly contentious issue.
One diplomat noted, “The word 'China' will not appear on the agenda.” Furthermore, there are currently no plans to issue a public statement after the summit outlining a joint position by leaders—statements that typically guide the EU’s direction of action.
Some officials welcome the opportunity for open debate. But this also means that it is unlikely any concrete plans will emerge from the summit to address what all sides agree is an imminent crisis. Prior to last week’s European Commission meeting, EU member states appeared indeed united.
From France, which advocates a tough stance on China in trade matters, to Spain, seen as more accommodating, five member states submitted a detailed proposal to the European Commission outlining how to strengthen trade measures in response to Chinese overcapacity—i.e., surging exports from China. Additionally, a German official told the UK’s Financial Times: “Given that trade is increasingly weaponized, we remain open to more effective trade tools.”
However, Spain’s Minister of Economic Affairs, Trade and Enterprise Carlos Cuerpo later distanced Madrid from the document, stating it was merely a technical discussion “without any specific political endorsement.”
On the Chinese side, the Commerce Ministry spokesperson responded last Saturday via Q&A, saying: “We hope the EU will move in step with China, jointly implement consensus reached by our respective leaders, resolve disputes through dialogue and consultation, and promote stable and healthy development of China-EU economic and trade relations. If the EU persists in unilaterally introducing new trade instruments and adopting discriminatory restrictions, China will resolutely counter such actions and take effective measures to safeguard its own interests.” Media reports suggest Beijing may target EU goods such as luxury items, spirits, and pork.
China’s firm and forward-looking statements aim to make EU leaders reconsider their approach. Undoubtedly, the current version of the draft conclusions from the upcoming EU summit would have little impact in Beijing: “The European Council held a strategic debate on global macroeconomic challenges.”
Source: rfi
Original: toutiao.com/article/1866927344823308/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.