Beijing (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – China’s foreign ministry stated on Wednesday that the European Union needs to re-evaluate its approach to trade relations with China.
Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning was addressing comments made by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who emphasised that rebalancing the EU’s economic ties with China should be a top priority.
In response, Beijing said that the European Union needed to rebalance its “mentality,” not its economic relations with China, ahead of a summit between the two this month, Reuters reported.
“We hope the EU realise that what needs rebalancing at the moment is the EU’s mentality, not China-EU economic and trade relations,”
Mao Ning, a ministry spokesperson, told a regular press briefing.
“We hope that the European Union will truly establish a more objective and rational understanding of China and pursue a more positive and pragmatic China policy,”
Mao stated.
What did Ursula von der Leyen say about China?
A day earlier, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen stated on Tuesday that the EU aims to recalibrate its economic relationship with China, calling for the country to improve market access for European companies and reduce export restrictions on rare earths.
Von der Leyen addressed the European Parliament in Strasbourg, stating that Beijing has the largest trade surplus “in the history of mankind,” with massive exports to the EU and increasing barriers for European companies operating in China.
The commission leader, visiting Beijing for the upcoming EU-China Summit alongside European Council President Antonio Costa, stated that they aim to ease export restrictions on rare earths. Additionally, the EU is exploring options to develop alternative supply sources.
Why is the 50th anniversary diplomatically significant now?
The upcoming EU-China Summit will take place on July 24-25, 2025, in China, and will mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the European Union and China. The backdrop of the summit is a complicated and somewhat tense moment in EU-China relations, with ongoing disputes over trade, climate cooperation, and geopolitical issues.
The summit takes place to mark the 50th anniversary of EU-China diplomatic ties, and both sides stress that this anniversary is an opportunity to reflect on their relationship and have agreed to think about the future.
