Maros Sefcovic is meeting Commerce Minister Wang Wentao on Thursday and Friday. The talks follow an EU daily goods deficit of more than 1 billion euros and Chinese curbs on rare-earth exports.
European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic arrived in Beijing for talks on Thursday and Friday with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao, Al Jazeera reported, citing AFP and Reuters. The agenda is the European Union's goods deficit with China, put at more than 1 billion euros a day, and Chinese export curbs on rare earths and other critical minerals.
The meetings follow a non-binding European Parliament resolution on Wednesday calling for a more assertive trade policy toward Beijing. China's commerce ministry said it would respond resolutely if the EU restricted Chinese companies or products.
French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged the EU on Tuesday to prepare an instrument that could be activated quickly against countries that harm the bloc economically. Diplomats told reporters the Commission hopes Beijing will accept a unilateral EU cap on hybrid-vehicle imports.
Sefcovic has said he wants tangible results by October and a commitment he can take to EU leaders. The South China Morning Post said observers on both sides did not expect a breakthrough, while a Chinese source familiar with the talks said Sefcovic would not go home empty-handed.
No agreement was announced as the meetings opened. The next EU leaders' discussion of China is due in Brussels next week.
People Sentiments Mixed
- China's commerce ministry said it would respond resolutely to EU restrictions on Chinese companies or products.
- A Chinese source told the South China Morning Post that Sefcovic would not go home empty-handed.