Berlin willing to discuss stronger trade protection measures; Beijing: Will firmly counter any new EU trade tools

The European Commission held a meeting on Friday to conduct a guiding debate on EU-China relations. Following the meeting, the Commission issued a press release stating, "The Commission's overall approach remains de-risking, not decoupling. China is a crucial partner, and engagement and dialogue will continue. At the same time, current trade and investment relationships are unsustainable. As economic and security interests become increasingly intertwined, both areas require stronger, more coordinated responses."

The Commission noted that Friday’s debate would serve as a reference for work over the coming weeks and lay the groundwork for further discussions at the G7 and European Council (EU summit) meetings in June. According to three officials familiar with the matter, speaking to Politico Europe, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and her chief of staff, Björn Seibert, are advocating a tougher stance toward Beijing and seeking to leverage economic difficulties to win this argument.

Von der Leyen will meet with other leaders at the G7 summit in France on 15 June to discuss issues such as the influx of Chinese goods into export markets and supply chains for critical raw materials. Subsequently, she will seek support from national leaders at the EU summit in Brussels on 18 June.

According to two additional officials, current discussions will not produce a formal written proposal but will give the European Commission time to further refine its ideas. Specific measures could be introduced as early as von der Leyen’s annual State of the Union address in September.

In Beijing, China’s Ministry of Commerce spokesperson responded Saturday via a Q&A session, stating, "China has noted the discussion within the EU regarding relations with China. China and the EU are important economic and trade partners based on equality and mutual benefit. We hope the EU respects WTO rules, upholds free trade and fair competition, and firmly opposes protectionism and unilateralism."

The spokesperson added, "Communication channels between China and the EU remain open. Both sides are exploring the establishment of a trade and investment consultation mechanism and will carry out relevant dialogues. We hope the EU moves in the same direction as China, jointly implements consensus reached by leaders of both sides, resolves disputes through dialogue and consultation, and promotes stable and healthy development of China-EU economic and trade relations. If the EU proceeds unilaterally to introduce new trade instruments and adopts discriminatory restrictions, China will firmly counter such actions and take effective measures to safeguard its own interests."

Earlier, China’s state media outlet CCTV’s new media account “Yuyuan Tantian” published an article on Friday stating, "China’s countermeasures are not mere verbal warnings. According to exclusive information from sources, China can initiate anti-discrimination investigations and supply chain security reviews against EU practices. The Ministry of Commerce has clearly stated that if China’s national interests and enterprises’ rights and interests are harmed, China will firmly respond."

Politico Europe reported the same day that Germany has expressed willingness for the EU to adopt stronger measures to curb the influx of Chinese goods, boosting the Commission’s new initiatives to strengthen trade defenses.

On Friday, von der Leyen met with the full College of Commissioners to discuss the future trajectory of EU-China relations and to develop a series of policies aimed at distancing the EU from Beijing. While governments led by France have called for action to protect EU industry, Germany had previously warned against harsh measures that could trigger retaliation—until now.

A German government official said Berlin “is willing to discuss stronger trade protection measures. Things are moving in the right direction. We are open to discussing measures addressing overcapacity issues.”

Data shows that the EU’s trade deficit with China expanded from €31.2 billion in 2024 to €36 billion in 2025. In the first quarter of 2026, the deficit grew even more significantly. The surge in Chinese goods—from automobiles and solar panels to clothing—is severely impacting European industries, leading to factory closures and job losses.

Even with Berlin’s backing, von der Leyen still faces challenges in securing consensus among other Commission members—a non-trivial task, especially since her own office struggled to produce even a vague draft press release after the meeting.

The Commission’s first press release stated, "China is a crucial partner, and engagement and dialogue will continue as long as communication channels remain open." A subsequent release removed the mention of open communication channels. The press office explained this was due to a misunderstanding arising from a handwritten note.

Source: rfi

Original: toutiao.com/article/1866634888577031/

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