European Commission: Stronger Measures Needed to Balance Trade with China

Central News Agency, Brussels, May 29. The European Commission held a meeting today to discuss how to protect key industries from Chinese competitors. The European Commission stated that the EU must take stronger measures to balance its trade relationship with China. According to AFP, the European Commission pointed out: 'China is an important partner, and we will continue to engage and dialogue. At the same time, the current status quo of trade and investment relations is unsustainable. As economic and security interests become more intertwined, the EU needs a stronger response on both fronts.' The EU is increasingly concerned about its trade deficit with China. Last year, the EU's trade deficit in goods with China reached 360 billion euros (419 billion US dollars), meaning the EU's imports from China far exceed its exports to China. The European commissioners held this meeting to debate existing and new measures the EU could take. However, EU authorities stated that the overall approach remains 'de-risking' rather than 'decoupling,' hoping to reduce dependence on China while maintaining trade relations.