BEIJING — From trade to human rights, the leaders of China and the European Union varied on a broad variety of concerns at a top this week in the Chinese capital.
China, which sees Europe as an essential export market, raised issues about trade protectionism and “de-risking,” the EU effort to decrease its dependence on any one nation — such as China — for crucial raw products and items.
The EU, which sees imports from China as a prospective hazard to business and tasks, pressured China on its big trade surplus with Europe and its de facto assistance for Russia in the war in Ukraine.
Separate post-summit news conferences on Thursday night highlighted the divergent positions. Wang Lutong, the director basic for European affairs, spoke to reporters at China’s Foreign Ministry.
Then EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU Council President Charles Michel held a joint news conference at the European Union workplace in Beijing.
VON DER LEYEN: “If you simply appearance at the last 2 years, the trade deficit has doubled. This is a matter of fantastic issue for a lot of Europeans. Such imbalances are simply unsustainable. The root triggers are well understood, and we talkedabout them. They variety from a absence of market gainaccessto for European business to the Chinese market to preferential treatment of domestic Chinese business and overcapacities in the Chinese production.”
WANG: “Sometimes the EU relates the imbalance of trade inbetween us to overcapacity and aids. But we wear’t believe there is overcapacity in such locations like green energy and tidy energy. … China might be really helpful to the green shift not just of the EU however likewise the entire world. So if you desire us to assistance the EU in green shift, do not be protectionist. You make the option inbetween being protectionist and motivating China to takepart in your objective in order to accomplish that green shift.”
WANG: “The Chinese side hasactually revealed issues to the EU side on its ‘de-risking’ and limiting financial and trade policies, consistingof the anti-subsidy examination versus Chinese electrical lorries as well as its 5G policies. The Chines