The EU and China will establish a system to monitor trade flows. Foreign Ministry: "The root of the EU's problems lies not in China"
EU-China – The Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Tuesday, saying China is not the "root cause" of the EU's difficulties. EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic stated that the EU and China will establish a system to monitor trade flows, with further discussions planned for later this year.
Earlier, both sides held talks aimed at avoiding a trade war. On Monday, EU Commissioner Maros Sefcovic met with China’s Minister of Commerce in Brussels, expressing the EU’s desire to rebalance trade relations.
Currently, the EU’s trade deficit with China exceeds 1 billion euros per day, a massive gap largely attributed by Europeans to Beijing’s unfair trade practices. Faced with this “unsustainable” situation, EU Commission President Maros Sefcovic emphasized, “Maintaining the status quo is not a viable option,” and stressed that Europe must “defend its industrial base and strive for a fair global competitive environment.”
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun responded on Tuesday during a regular press briefing, stating, “China and the EU are partners, not competitors.” He added, “The root of the EU’s problems does not lie in China. The key to resolving economic and trade issues between both sides lies in deepening China-Europe cooperation and shared development.” He also said Beijing is willing to “enhance communication and consultations with Europe, addressing trade disputes in a constructive manner.”
Sefcovic and the Chinese minister agreed to intensify consultations over the coming months, with Brussels aiming to achieve “initial concrete outcomes” during the Chinese minister’s visit to Europe in October. Over the past decade, Europe’s trade deficit with China has increased fivefold in volume.
Source: rfi
Original: toutiao.com/article/1869480074331273/
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