The EU Council appeared somewhat divided on the EU’s relations with China at a meeting of trade ministers in Luxembourg on Friday 3 June. They discussed EU-China ties in the current global context and with a view to rebalancing the relationship.
According to one source, some of the ministers insisted on the need to maintain an open dialogue with Beijing, while for others it was necessary to look beyond China and reduce dependence in many sectors on that country.
It is also a question of taking into account China’s position concerning the invasion of Ukraine, said French Trade Minister Franck Riester. This position has been ambiguous in recent months, including at the EU-China summit, during which European leaders insisted on Russian responsibility, without much response from the Chinese side (see EUROPE 12924/1).
Overall, Member States agree on the need to rebalance relations to allow fairer competition than currently exists for European companies in China, for example. They also consider that diversification of supplies is needed to limit dependence on China. However, some countries are more insistent than others on the need to remain fully engaged with China.
“It is clear that the relationship with China is increasingly complex, but we also have a clear vision that engagement with China is essential. We need to be able to talk to one of our biggest trading partners about complex issues”, stressed Valdis Dombrovskis.
In any case, the European Commission plans to hold a high-level dialogue on economy and trade between the EU and China in the coming weeks. With the EU-China investment agreement frozen, this platform should allow the EU to raise these concerns with Beijing and try to find common ground, including on fair competition. However, no date has yet been set for the dialogue, although the European Commission has proposed a date to Beijing, according to one source. (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)