China Warns of Response if EU Advances Trade Restrictions on Chinese Products

Dragon Media News Desk

China has said it will respond firmly if the European Union introduces discriminatory trade restrictions against Chinese companies or products. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce commented on Tuesday after reports that Germany and France were preparing a joint paper urging the EU to develop a trade instrument similar to Section 301 of US trade law.

A ministry spokesperson described the reported proposal as protectionist and unilateral. China and the EU are already discussing trade and investment concerns, the spokesperson said, warning that additional pressure during those talks could erode trust and disrupt cooperation. The ministry also cautioned that new barriers could affect global industrial and supply chains.

The reported German-French paper has not been made public, and the European Commission has not adopted the proposed instrument. Its legal design, the products it might cover and any timetable for its use therefore remain unknown. Chinese experts have discussed possible investigations China could use in response, but the government has not announced those measures.

High-level economic contacts between China and Europe have continued. Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao spoke this month with European Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič and German Economy Minister Katherina Reiche about trade relations. Beijing says those discussions offer a way to address differences before they develop into further restrictions.

Chinese and European industries have built closely connected supply chains. With no formal EU decision on the reported proposal, continued talks give both sides an opportunity to manage their disagreements and limit uncertainty for businesses.