China has never deliberately pursued a trade surplus with Europe, and the current trade structure results from international industrial division and comparative advantages, Foreign Ministry spokesman Li Jian said at a press briefing in Beijing on Tuesday.
Lin made the remarks in response to a media query on China-EU trade relations.
"China attaches great importance to existing differences with the EU and always believes they can be properly addressed through dialog, consultation, and policy coordination. These differences should not become obstacles to mutual trust and cooperation, nor serve as a basis for 'decoupling' and supply chain disruption, let alone a pretext for unfounded accusations against China," said Lin.
"Within the framework of the WTO, international trade is a two-way choice, and there is no forced buying or selling. The essence of China-EU economic and trade relations is mutual benefit and win-win outcomes. China has never deliberately pursued a trade surplus with Europe, and the current China-EU trade structure results from international industrial division and comparative advantages," he said.
China always follows WTO rules and basic principles of market economy, including free trade, fair competition, and open cooperation, does not engage in prohibited subsidies, Lin said.
China's industrial competitiveness stems from its comprehensive advantages in a complete industrial system, super-sized domestic market, and fine innovation ecosystem, as well as its enterprises' sustained hard-working and investment over the years, Lin said.
As a responsible major country, China has never manipulated its currency exchange, nor will it resort to competitive devaluation, let alone using the exchange rate as a tool to address trade disputes or other external shocks, Lin said.
"Protectionism leads nowhere, and win-win cooperation is the right way forward. China is not the cause of the EU's economic and trade problems, rather, it can become Europe's partner that can help these problems. We hope that France and Germany, as core EU members, will demonstrate rationality and pragmatism, play a constructive role, and push the EU to work with China to address respective concerns through dialog and consultation, so as to foster a more balanced, upward, and sustainable China-EU trade relationship," he said.
China never deliberately pursues trade surplus with Europe: spokesman
China never deliberately pursues trade surplus with Europe: spokesman
