Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission President, highlighted the EU’s commitment to taking decisive measures to protect its economy and security during a trilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. She emphasized that a fair-playing China would benefit everyone, and that the EU was determined to make difficult decisions to safeguard its interests.
During the talks, von der Leyen raised concerns about significant imbalances in trade between China and the EU. She specifically pointed out Chinese subsidies for electric cars and steel that were saturating the European market, as well as China’s substantial support for its manufacturing sector, which was leading to surplus production that could not be absorbed globally.
She also criticized China for not providing fair access to its market for EU companies, expressing optimism for potential progress in talks while issuing a warning that the EU was prepared to fully utilize trade defense instruments if necessary. This emphasized the EU’s rejection of market-distorting practices.
French President Macron had previously urged Chinese President Xi to adhere to fair global trade rules during his state visit to France, emphasizing the importance of balanced EU-China relations for the future of the continent.