First Meeting of China-EU Trade and Investment Consultation Mechanism to Be Held to Avoid Trade War

BEIJING, June 25 (CNA) -- The first meeting of the China-EU trade and investment consultation mechanism is set to take place. Officials from China's Ministry of Commerce and the European Union have recently exchanged views on preparatory work. The EU's significant trade deficit with China has led to strained economic and trade relations between the two sides, and this meeting is seen as an opportunity to communicate and resolve related issues.

According to a report by Yicai Global, on June 23, Ling Ji, China's Vice Minister of Commerce and Deputy International Trade Representative, held talks with Denis Redonnet, Deputy Director-General of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Trade, who was visiting Beijing. They exchanged views on the preparatory work for the first meeting of the China-EU trade and investment consultation mechanism.

According to Xinhua News Agency, Ling Ji also held talks with Ditte Juul Jørgensen, Director-General for Trade of the European Commission, at the EU headquarters on June 9. They had an in-depth and comprehensive discussion on the preparatory work for the China-EU trade and investment consultation mechanism. Both sides agreed to strive for practical outcomes in this meeting and stabilize bilateral economic and trade relations.

China and the EU have been in close communication recently regarding meetings to stabilize bilateral economic and trade relations. According to foreign media, a spokesperson for the European Commission stated on June 22 that Maros Sefcovic, the EU's Trade Commissioner, will meet with China's Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao in Brussels on June 29.

The EU's trade deficit with China expanded for the second consecutive year in 2025, reaching approximately 360 billion euros (about NT$13 trillion), with an average daily deficit of 1 billion euros. The deficit continued to widen in the first quarter of this year, exacerbating the EU's concerns about EU-China economic relations.

Since the beginning of this year, the EU has introduced several trade restrictive measures, such as the "Cyber Security Act," the "Industrial Accelerators Act," and a doubling of steel import tariffs along with a reduction in duty-free quotas. These measures are considered to be targeting China and have drawn protests from the Chinese side. (Edited by Chiu Kuo-chiang) 1150625

Stand with facts, and your every contribution is a force to protect the freedom of the press.

Download the CNA "One-Stop News" APP for real-time updates.

The text, images, and audio on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or used without authorization.