A spokeswoman for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday that China hopes the European Union (EU) will maintain a stable and balanced approach in bilateral trade consultations with China, stressing that neither side should make unilateral demands or threaten market closures during negotiations.
Huang Ling, the spokeswoman, made the statement at a press conference in Beijing in response to recent comments on China-EU trade made by Maroš Šefčovič, the European Commission's Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security.
"China stresses that the consultations between China and the EU at all levels should be in adherence to the definition of stabilizing and balancing the China-EU trade partnership, and in adherence to the principle of resolving each other's concerns on an equal footing. Neither side should make unilateral demands or conditions, still less threaten to close markets in provocation. The Chinese side has stated on multiple occasions that the EU should face its own economic and trade problems squarely. China is not the source of these problems, but rather a partner that can help the EU address them," Huang said.
"Protectionism leads nowhere, while win-win cooperation is the right path forward. China is ready to work with the EU to strengthen regular and institutionalized communication in the economic and trade field, manage differences, promote practical cooperation, and push for a more balanced and forward-looking China-EU trade relationship. China hopes that the EU will uphold free trade, work together to safeguard the rule-based multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core, and refrain from sliding into the abyss of protectionism," she said.
China urges EU to uphold fair dialogue in trade consultations
