EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic began two days of talks in Beijing and called the bloc's goods deficit with China unsustainable. China's commerce ministry said Wang Wentao met him.
European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic opened two days of talks in Beijing on Thursday and said the European Union's trade deficit with China was unsustainable, CNA reported. On X he wrote that his goal on day one was to begin rebalancing that deficit. He said he had first heard from EU businesses in China, who wanted better market access and more economic security.
CNA said European figures show China last year exported about a billion euros more in goods and services to the EU each day than it imported. Sefcovic has set three priorities: surging imports in strategic sectors, European exports to China, and access to critical raw materials. Officials have been negotiating since June.
CGTN, citing China's Ministry of Commerce, said Commerce Minister Wang Wentao met Sefcovic in Beijing on Thursday. The CGTN report did not quote an agreement.
CNA said many in Europe blame subsidies and price dumping. That is a European framing, not a finding published by Beijing in these reports.
The meeting opened talks. It did not produce a published deal.
People Sentiments Mixed
- Sefcovic said the deficit was unsustainable and that EU firms wanted better market access.
- CGTN reported that Wang Wentao met Sefcovic.