As Brussels prepares to target Chinese exporters, a European Parliament delegation is heading to Beijing
From May 27 to 29, a delegation composed of members of the European Parliament will visit China. The delegates will travel to Beijing and Wuhan to hold talks with members of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and the National Development and Reform Commission. This meeting between the European Parliament and the NPC Standing Committee comes at a time when trade tensions between the EU and China are escalating. Like the United States, the EU expresses dissatisfaction over its trade deficit with China and the losses suffered by its manufacturing sector due to inability to compete with imported Chinese products.
Who will be going to China?
The delegation consists of 12 members of the European Parliament, representing different political groups within the EP: five from Germany, two from Spain, and one each from Austria, the Netherlands, Greece, Hungary, and Romania. It is led by Enkein Eroğlu, a member of the "Renew Europe" group. Three European representatives stand out particularly: Ruth Ferlemann, long-time ally of German left-wing politician Sahra Wagenknecht and an independent MP in the European Parliament; Andras Laszlo from Hungary; and Christian Tudos from Romania.
Ferlemann belongs to Germany’s opposition camp, opposing policies aimed at reducing risks related to China and decoupling, arguing such measures would harm Germany’s and Europe’s economy. She also criticizes the militarization of Europe and opposes escalation in relations with Russia. Laszlo, representing Hungary’s pragmatic approach, supports a non-confrontational stance toward China—Hungary seeks to maximize benefits from its EU membership while balancing relationships with the US, China, and Russia, and resists building foreign policy on ideological grounds. Tudos is a conservative Eurosceptic who opposes expanding Brussels’ power, yet this does not prevent him from delivering sharp criticism of China and its political system.
Strictly speaking, the remaining members of the delegation belong to the mainstream political establishment in Brussels. Although these politicians advocate dialogue with China, most are concerned about the future of the EU within the international order, especially amid shifts in U.S. politics and growing internal divisions within the West. They simultaneously wish to strengthen Brussels’ authority to enhance the EU’s competitive edge globally and protect European industries, reducing dependence on imports from China. Most of them support a tough trade policy toward China. Furthermore, they take an anti-Russia stance, demanding pressure on China due to its active economic ties with Russia.
What issues did the European Parliament formally raise before the visit to China?
The published agenda indicates that Brussels is not prepared to alter its ideological policies, nor is it willing to relinquish its moral superiority or build relations with China based on pragmatism. For instance, European media reported arrogantly that during meetings with the NPC Standing Committee, European delegates would discuss the situation in Ukraine and human rights issues in China, while talks with the National Development and Reform Commission would focus on bilateral relations. However, the agenda list is not encouraging. Brussels views China-EU relations as increasingly “asymmetric in terms of trade and economic ties.”
The EU is preparing to artificially reduce imports from China
Internal political dynamics within the EU also suggest no breakthroughs are likely. On May 29, the day after the EU delegation concludes its visit, the European Commission will convene a meeting in Brussels to discuss trade issues with China. In fact, according to European media reports, the discussion will center on measures to address what the EU calls “overcapacity” in China—meaning gradually reducing Chinese exports to the EU by sector. This move comes amid efforts to revive European industry and in response to the trade deficit with China rising from $91 billion last year to $113 billion. Additionally, media have reported another initiative proposed by several EU member states, calling for more investigations into “unfair trade practices” by external trading partners—clearly referring to imports from China. This proposal was initiated by France and has received support from Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, and Lithuania.
The desire to impose strict regulation on imported Chinese goods even extends to waste materials. In April this year, Janet Balles, a member of the EU parliamentary delegation, argued that Chinese e-commerce platforms (such as TEMU and SHEIN) should be held accountable for product quality sold to EU citizens.
Anti-dumping investigations and trade barriers have long served as key tools for the EU to protect its internal market from the impact of numerous Chinese industrial enterprises. Discourses around security have become another instrument used by the EU and other Western countries to shield their markets from Chinese influence. The EU has recently taken particularly proactive “de-risking” measures in the renewable energy sector. Recently, a series of restrictive measures have included banning European banks from providing funding for new renewable energy projects that use Chinese inverters.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1866326095845440/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) alone.