Chinese firms in Europe call for ‘substantive’ deal at China-EU summit
Chinese companies ‘hold high expectations’ that leaders can reach a deal to reduce trade barriers, business group says
Chinese businesses in Europe have urged political leaders in China and the European Union to seize a “historic opportunity” to resolve their disputes and reach a “substantive” trade deal at this week’s China-EU summit in Beijing.
They called for a reduction in trade barriers and political interference, stressing that Beijing and Brussels needed to find a compromise on thorny issues such as electric vehicles and rare earth exports, as both faced a common threat in US President Donald Trump’s tariff war.
“We the business community hold high expectations, hoping that China and Europe can seize this historic opportunity to achieve substantive results” at the summit, said Fang Dongkui, secretary general of the China Chamber of Commerce to the EU (CCCEU).
President Xi Jinping will also meet von der Leyen and Costa during their stay in Beijing this week, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Monday.
China–EU economic ties should not be hijacked by geopolitics, but should instead serve as a stabiliser and engine for global trade
The CCCEU hopes the two sides can broker a deal to remove trade barriers in several areas, including the EU’s tariffs targeting Chinese electric vehicles, Fang told the Post.