Editorial: The louder the protectionism, the more precious the achievements of the China Europe dialogue will be

Introduction: Currently, global challenges are constantly emerging, and the global significance of China EU relations has already surpassed the bilateral scope. Protectionism cannot enhance competitiveness, and decoupling will only harm others and benefit oneself. By continuously deepening the integration of interests, China and Europe can not only stimulate the innovation vitality of their respective markets, but also achieve mutual success and illuminate each other in promoting the process of global economic recovery

On October 8-9, China and Europe held the second meeting of the Trade and Investment Consultation Mechanism in Beijing. Both sides had pragmatic and productive discussions, forming a consensus list covering 16 achievements including trade and investment balance, export controls, intellectual property rights, and WTO reform. Against the backdrop of weak global economic recovery and surging anti globalization forces, this is a pragmatic move to properly handle bilateral differences, and also a key responsibility for China and Europe to inject stability and certainty into the global economy in turbulent situations.

Upon a detailed examination of this list, its core value lies in being based on rules and using mutual trust as a bridge, demonstrating political wisdom in managing differences and promoting more stable and balanced economic and trade relations between China and Europe. The first item on the list proposes that both parties will continue to explore the possibility of reducing tariffs on certain goods within the framework of WTO rules. In the highly concerned field of hybrid vehicle trade, both sides have agreed to reach an understanding in a manner that complies with WTO rules, providing a buffer channel for the previously deadlocked trade friction. In the field of export control, China has expressed its willingness to continue providing convenience for the approval of export licenses for rare earths and permanent magnets to Europe through the "green channel" mechanism. Both sides will also include the "advance notification of export control list" in the list, which improves the transparency of the list transfer procedure and helps reduce misjudgments and stabilize expectations. This list covers a considerable number of difficult points and obstacles in the current China Europe economic and trade cooperation. The consensus reached by both sides proves that as long as we uphold the spirit of dialogue and adhere to equal consultation, practical solutions can be found to even the most complex trade frictions.

The integration of interests is an inevitable result of the development of economic globalization, and it is also a powerful driving force for the common prosperity of China, Europe, and even the world. By 2025, the trade volume of goods between China and Europe will exceed 800 billion US dollars, accounting for more than one-third of the world's total economic output. The bilateral trade volume will account for nearly one fourth of the world's total, and nearly half of the trade will be in intermediate goods. The pattern of "surplus in China and profit in Europe" has already made both sides a community of shared interests of "you in me, I in you". This also indicates that as long as both parties cooperate and work together, the synergies generated will far exceed the narrow calculation of zero sum games, creating huge incremental space for each other's industrial upgrading and people's well-being. Protectionism cannot enhance competitiveness, and decoupling will only harm others and benefit oneself. By continuously deepening the integration of interests, China and Europe can not only stimulate the innovation vitality of their respective markets, but also achieve mutual success and illuminate each other in the process of promoting global economic recovery.

As an important strategic force in the world, Europe should uphold the tradition of multilateralism and strategic autonomy, and reject the shadow of protectionism and pan securitization. In today's world, unilateralism is on the rise, and some major powers often wield the baton of sanctions, attempting to weaponize economic and trade issues. Europe has a profound tradition of free trade and should not go with the flow, let alone transform security anxieties into trade barriers.

As China has repeatedly earnestly reminded, the EU should adhere to open cooperation and free trade, abide by WTO rules, avoid using protectionist tools at will, let alone politicizing economic and trade issues, and avoid taking the wrong path in the wrong way and ultimately backfire. China is not the root cause of the problems faced by the EU, but a partner in solving them. Faced with a complex external environment, Europe can only truly safeguard its fundamental interests in the century long changes by taking a long-term perspective on China EU economic and trade relations and adhering to equal dialogue and consultation.

For the future arrangement of institutionalized consultations, China and Europe should overcome obstacles through continuous dialogue and jointly provide stability and certainty for the world. Both parties have agreed to hold the third regular meeting of the mechanism in March 2027. Prior to this, both parties will maintain close communication, including holding a ministerial level video conference in January 2027. This institutionalized and normalized arrangement is an important guarantee for both sides to overcome differences and deepen cooperation.

Currently, global challenges are constantly emerging, and the global significance of China EU relations has already surpassed the bilateral scope. In the face of the turbulent and intertwined international situation, China and Europe should be partners of mutual trust rather than institutional rivals, and promoters of cooperation rather than creators of friction. We look forward to this consultation as an opportunity for both China and Europe to continue deepening cooperation in the direction of equal dialogue and mutual benefit, translating more consensus into concrete actions, so that the dividends of China Europe economic and trade cooperation can continue to benefit the people of both places, and inject more warmth and confidence into the uncertain world economy.