European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen affirmed on Monday that the EU would not hesitate to implement stringent actions to safeguard its economy and security amidst strained trade relations with China.
“China that plays fair is good for all of us,” she said following trilateral talks in Paris with Chinese President Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron. “Europe will not waver from making tough decisions needed to protect its economy and its security,” she said. “We will defend our companies, we will defend our economies.”
Von der Leyen highlighted “significant imbalances” and expressed “great concern,” particularly regarding Chinese subsidies for electric cars and steel flooding the European market. China’s robust support for its manufacturing sector, leading to surplus production, was also flagged as a worry.
Moreover, von der Leyen criticized China for restricting fair access to its market for EU companies. While expressing hope for progress in negotiations, she emphasized the EU’s readiness to utilize trade defence instruments if necessary, asserting that Europe cannot tolerate market-distorting practices.
French President Macron had earlier urged Chinese leader Xi, during his state visit to France, to adhere to fair global trade rules in EU-China exchanges.
“The future of our continent will very clearly depend on our ability to continue to develop relations with China in a balanced manner,” Macron said.
