Deutsche Welle reported on October 6 that Germany and France have proposed granting the EU the authority to block access to its single market in the event of future economic coercion. The Süddeutsche Zeitung commented that the proposal itself signals a shift toward a tougher trade stance toward China within the EU. Meanwhile, Frankfurter Rundschau argued that such deterrence is wishful thinking, as Beijing can absorb the impact of losing the European market, but a cutoff of rare earth supplies would immediately bring European industry to a standstill.
Commentary: This move by Germany and France aims to equip the EU with a tool for trade deterrence—using restricted market access to pressure China and reverse the trade deficit. It marks a clear pivot from conciliatory to confrontational attitudes in EU-China trade relations. However, the EU overestimates the leverage of its market while underestimating the irreplaceability of China’s critical raw materials. Europe remains dependent on Chinese rare earths and other essential industrial inputs; a supply disruption would rapidly paralyze European manufacturing. Conversely, China has already diversified its global markets and can withstand losses from EU market restrictions. This asymmetrical dynamic renders such trade pressure ineffective in practice. If applied recklessly, it risks backfiring against the European economy itself—underscoring that protectionist barriers are not a viable solution to trade disputes.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1878336209640457/
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