EU-China trade
German ambassador to the EU: ‘China is changing us’
Europe should increase its economic assertiveness abroad and put forward a new strategy to face China’s rivalry, as the challenges posed by Beijing are already affecting the way European countries are preparing to compete with global powers, experts and diplomats agreed on Thursday (12 July).
Huawei: US founding fathers would be ‘alarmed’ with Trump administration
The US founding fathers would be ‘alarmed’ by the recent actions of the Trump administration to restrict access to the American market for Chinese businesses, Huawei’s EU chief, Abraham Liu, said on Tuesday (21 April).
EU to use China as guinea pig to monitor bilateral summit deals
EU member states have decided to set up a new mechanism to monitor China's progress in implementing agreed commitments, with the aim of extending such controls to other bilateral relations, according to documents seen by EURACTIV.
China defends rejigged ‘Belt and Road’ initiative against EU criticism
“The 'Belt and Road' cooperation is entering into a new stage,” the Chinese ambassador to the EU Zhang Ming promised on Monday (6 May), questioning the EU's reluctance to join China's massive infrastructure programme.
European bloc not considering joining China’s Belt and Road plans
EU officials confirmed that the bloc is not considering joining China’s Belt and Road initiative on Friday (26 April), contrary to what German Economic minister Peter Altmaier has previously said.
Japan’s Abe urges EU to avoid no-deal Brexit ‘by all means’
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe urged EU leaders to avoid a disorderly departure of the UK from the European Union "by all means" as both sides pledged to strengthen their economic ties at a bilateral summit on Thursday (25 April).
Huawei redoubles efforts to rebuild trust as it enters critical period
Chinese telecom giant Huawei praised Europe’s handling of data and cybersecurity as it seeks to partner with the EU to set global standards to dispel concerns about espionage.
EU, China agree on joint statement as Beijing makes last-ditch concessions
EU leaders were set to sign a joint declaration with Chinese leadership on Tuesday (9 April), after Beijing made last-minute concessions to bolster the rules-based international order and to tackle industrial subsidies, European officials told EURACTIV.com.
US-China talks blocking concessions to EU, Brussels complains
The ongoing US-China trade negotiations are affecting the concessions Europe is seeking from Beijing to save the bilateral summit next Tuesday, as the Chinese authorities are prioritizing now an agreement with Washington, European sources told Euractiv.com.
LEAK: Europe puts pressure on Beijing ahead of EU-China summit
The European Union is ready to refuse signing a joint statement with China at a bilateral summit next Tuesday (9 April), as Europeans request stronger commitment from Beijing on the economy, trade and human rights, according to official EU notes prepared in advance of the summit.
EU’s procurement reform faces uphill struggle
A proposal to introduce stricter criteria for foreign bidders to access Europe's multi-billion public procurement market remains deadlocked, as a strong majority of member states remain unconvinced about the benefits of the plan.
Stop demonising China, Varoufakis tells Europe
Greece's former finance minister, Yanis Varoufakis, now standing as a leftist candidate for the European Commission presidency, told the EU on Tuesday (26 March) to stop blaming China for an unbalanced economic relationship because the playing field "was never levelled in Europe".
Oettinger calls for EU veto on Italy-China deal
Italy's participation in China's giant "Silk Road" infrastructure project sparked an outcry in Germany on Sunday (24 March), including a call for the European Union to block such deals with a veto.
‘Don’t be naive with China’, EU leaders tell Italy
EU leaders displayed a united front toward China on Friday (22 March) and warned the Italian government of the consequences of signing a bilateral deal with Beijing to become part of the new ‘Silk Road’.
Macron, Merkel and Juncker to meet China’s Xi on Tuesday
French President Emmanuel Macron invited German chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to join a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping next Tuesday (26 March), in a bid to forge a united front in European efforts to rebalance relations with Beijing.
EU urges China to progress on demands to dispel ‘frustration’
The EU will give Chinese leaders a comprehensive list of demands next month to address the growing “frustration” among Europeans, and to improve bilateral cooperation as it reaches a critical junction, various senior EU officials explained on Wednesday (20 March).
Member states support tougher stance toward China despite warnings
EU’s foreign affairs ministers expressed their “full support”on Monday (18 March) to the EU’s new stance toward China, described as “systemic rival”, as the bloc seeks to rebalance its economic and trade relationship with Beijing.
Commission to strengthen anti-subsidies measures by end of year
The European Commission will propose by the end of 2019 new measures to address the negative impact of foreign subsidies and state-owned companies, according to documents made available on Wednesday (13 March), as the EU aims for a more assertive tone towards China.
Italy to join China’s New Silk Road infrastructure plan
Italy is set to become the first member of the ‘Group of Seven’ most powerful nations to join China’s infrastructure plan “One Belt, One Road” (OBOR), despite the heightened scrutiny of Beijing’s investment in Europe.
First truck completes Europe-China delivery in 12 days
The first overland delivery of European goods bound for China arrived safe and sound last week, in a good omen for Europe's hopes of making the East Asian superpower's ambitious Belt and Road initiative a two-way street.
Europe strengthens monitoring of foreign investment
The European Parliament approved on Thursday (14 February) the proposal to screen foreign investment at EU level, clearing the path for closer monitoring of third country companies willing to invest in EU’s critical sectors.
EU and US to strengthen cybersecurity cooperation
EU and US authorities have agreed to intensify their cooperation in the field of cybersecurity standards, as Western countries become increasingly concerned about links between Chinese telecom companies such as Huawei with Beijing.
Business leaders dispel doubts about China despite slowdown
China’s lowest growth in three decades was very present in the opening of the Davos forum on Tuesday (22 January), but experts and business leaders were confident about the future of its economy despite its high indebtedness.