BEIJING — The leaders of China and the European Union had been holding wide-ranging talks Thursday that included their disputes over commerce and a deep divide on the warfare in Ukraine.
Chinese President Xi Jinping met at a state guesthouse in Beijing with the 2 European presidents, Ursula von der Leyen from the EU Commission and Charles Michel from the EU Council. The two European leaders had been going to satisfy Premier Li Qiang, China‘s No. 2 leader, later on Thursday.
The European Union is calling on China to improve market access for products from its 27 member countries to address an annual trade imbalance of more than $200 billion between the two sides. China exported $458.5 billion worth of goods to the EU in the first 11 months of this year, and imported $257.8 billion, according to Chinese customs data released Thursday.
The EU also has angered China by launching an investigation into the latter’s subsidies for electrical autos to find out whether or not they give producers in China an unfair aggressive benefit in European markets.
“China has never deliberately pursued a trade surplus,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin mentioned forward of the summit. He famous current import and provide chain expos that he mentioned encourage overseas corporations to promote to the Chinese market of 1.4 billion individuals.
Wang additionally took purpose at doable EU restrictions on expertise exports to China. “I’m afraid it’s unreasonable if the EU imposes strict restrictions on the export of high-tech products to China while expecting a significant increase in exports to China,” he mentioned.
The EU is in search of higher market entry for a spread of merchandise together with cosmetics, toddler method and wine and different alcoholic drinks.
China has angered the EU by taking a impartial stance in what most European international locations see as a Russian warfare of aggression in opposition to Ukraine. The EU is looking on China to make use of its affect with Russia to finish the invasion, make sure that exports from or by way of China usually are not aiding Russia’s warfare effort and assist Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s peace method.
Von der Leyen, as fee president, heads the day-to-day enterprise of the EU, whereas Michel chairs the summits of EU leaders.
