Ministry of Commerce: Hope the European side will adhere to free trade and not slide into the abyss of protectionism

On the afternoon of September 3rd, the Ministry of Commerce held a regular press conference. According to media inquiries, the European Commission's Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Shevchenko, recently stated in an interview with reporters that if negotiations with China fail to yield results, he will consider fully utilizing trade defense tools and closing its market. How does the Chinese side comment on this?

Regarding this, Huang Ling, spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce, stated that resolving each other's concerns through dialogue and consultation is an important consensus reached by leaders of China and Europe. In recent years, China has been committed to implementing the consensus spirit of the leaders of both sides, strengthening dialogue and communication with the European side in the field of economy and trade, and striving to control friction and differences. Since the first meeting of the China EU Trade and Investment Consultation Mechanism on June 29th, the Ministry of Commerce has maintained close communication with the European side at all levels, and deeply explored feasible solutions to properly address their respective economic and trade concerns. From August 31st to September 2nd, Vice Minister Ling Ji of the Ministry of Commerce held talks with the visiting Deputy Director General of the European Commission's Department of Trade and Economic Security, Lei Dongnei, and the two sides conducted in-depth consultations on issues of concern.

Huang Ling further stated that China needs to emphasize that consultations at all levels between China and Europe should adhere to the stable and balanced positioning of the key trade partnership between China and Europe, address each other's concerns on an equal footing, and not unilaterally offer prices, negotiate conditions, or even use market closures as threats.

Huang Ling said that the Chinese side has repeatedly reiterated that the European side should face up to the economic and trade issues it faces. China is not the root of these problems, but can become a partner to help the European side solve them. Protectionism has no way out, cooperation and win-win is the right path. China is willing to work with Europe to strengthen normalized and institutionalized communication in the field of economy and trade, manage differences, promote pragmatic cooperation, and promote the upward and balanced development of China Europe trade. We hope that the European side will adhere to free trade, jointly uphold the multilateral trading system centered on the World Trade Organization and based on rules, and not slide into the abyss of protectionism.