Von der Leyen: 'Trade imbalance with China grows'. Tariffs, agreement with US must be 'satisfactory'
With reference to US tariffs, the EU Commission President emphasised that "all other instruments are on the table and will remain so until we achieve a satisfactory result".
2' min read
2' min read
Trade figures with China reveal a 'growing imbalance'. During the press conference on the occasion of the EU-China summit EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that "this is mainly due to increasing trade distortions and market access barriers". Europe "keeps its market open to Chinese products. This reflects our long-standing commitment to rules-based trade,' he added at a press conference after talks with the Chinese leadership. However, 'this openness is not supported by China. The EU's trade deficit has doubled in the last decade to over EUR 300 billion'.
Therefore, 'for trade to remain mutually beneficial, it must become more balanced. Europe welcomes competition. We like competition, but competition must be fair,' von der Leyen said. In relations with China, he added, "we defend our interests. We are implementing a strategy of risk reduction and strengthening economic security and competitiveness'. She went on to emphasise the commitment to 'frank, open and respectful dialogue'.
"Understanding with the US must be satisfactory"
.Referring to the US-EU negotiations on tariffs at a press conference, the President of the EU Commission explained that "all these weeks, our main goal has been to reach a negotiated solution. We want a negotiated solution. At the moment, we have very intensive contacts and discussions, both technical and political, but we have been clear for weeks why we want a negotiated solution. All other instruments are on the table and will remain so until we achieve a satisfactory result..
As for the
Beijing uses its influence on Moscow for negotiations
As for the conflict in Ukraine, Von del Leyen recalled that "China has influence on Russia, just as the European Union has influence on Ukraine, and we expect China to use that influence to make sure that Russia sits seriously at the negotiating table." "We in the EU don't even have to use our influence, because President Zelensky has already offered and is at the negotiating table, offering to sit and negotiate seriously with Russia in those negotiations. So I fully recognise that two sovereign countries decide what they want to discuss and how they want to discuss it, what the final outcome will be, but it is important that there is a ceasefire and that we have a negotiating table," he concluded.
