The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Guo Jiakun, stated at a press conference that “the essence of the economic and trade relations between China and the EU lies in complementarity and mutual benefit.”
Guo expressed the hope that “the EU will fulfill its commitment to support free trade, oppose trade protectionism, and provide a fair, transparent, and non-discriminatory business environment for companies from all countries.”
According to the spokesperson, China expects the 27 EU member states “to adopt concrete measures to uphold the market economy and the World Trade Organization [WTO] norms” and to “persist in resolving trade differences through dialogue.”
In a call, Sefcovic invited Chinese authorities to visit Brussels to seek “urgent solutions” regarding the export controls on rare earth elements imposed by Beijing, measures the EU considers “unfair.”
The European Trade Commissioner explained that the Chinese minister accepted the invitation from the EU executive to address the issue “in the coming days” in the Belgian capital, although this visit has not yet been confirmed by Chinese authorities.
“After this morning’s conversation, we have no interest in an escalation, but the situation overshadows our relationship, so a swift resolution is essential,” said the European Commissioner.
Sefcovic, who described the discussion as “constructive,” recalled that Brussels views the increase in Chinese export controls since April as “unjustified and harmful,” damaging the bilateral relationship and conflicting with efforts to achieve more stable and reliable trade.
The European Commissioner discussed with Wang the prohibition on the company Nexperia from exporting semiconductors produced in its Chinese factory, following the decision by the Netherlands to intervene to prevent the transfer of knowledge to China by the company, which was founded in the Netherlands but acquired by a Chinese group in 2019.
In this context, he stated that both parties have expressed their intention to “resolve the situation and work towards a practical agreement that restores supply chains, provides much-needed certainty, and avoids disruptions in global production.”
In recent months, Brussels has expressed concerns regarding market access restrictions in China and the use of rare earths as a pressure tool.
Additionally, tensions persist between Beijing and the EU due to European tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and Chinese investigations into cognac, pork, and dairy products from Europe.
