EU Proposes Further Curbs on Chinese Imports
Dragon Media Newsroom
The European Commission plans to propose restrictions on imports from China beyond the recent understanding on Chinese hybrid vehicle imports. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the move was necessary because of the EU’s growing trade deficit with China.
Speaking on Friday after a summit of EU leaders, von der Leyen said the bloc’s goods trade deficit with China exceeded €1 billion a day in 2025 and could be higher this year. The Commission is also preparing a proposal for December to reduce dependence on single sources for supplies of critical goods. The additional import restrictions have been proposed but have not yet taken effect.
Chinese experts said the overall trade deficit figure does not show the full benefits and costs of trade for businesses and consumers. Zhou Mi, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said unilateral restrictions could undermine trust in trade talks and weaken respect for World Trade Organization rules.
Jian Junbo, a professor at Fudan University’s Center for China-Europe Relations, said the trade imbalance was linked to differences in industrial capacity and competitiveness. He said high energy costs, limited innovation and export restrictions on certain technologies had weakened the competitiveness of European industries. Restricting imports might provide short-term relief to some industries, he said, but would not resolve problems with production costs and productivity.
According to Chinese data cited by Cai Run, China’s ambassador to the EU, China recorded a services trade deficit of $48.3 billion with the EU in 2025. The EU accounted for 41.6 percent of that deficit, and China paid the bloc more than $10 billion in intellectual property fees, Cai said.
China’s Ministry of Commerce urged the EU to resolve trade differences through dialogue and address the concerns of both sides. Chinese experts warned that import restrictions could raise costs for European producers and consumers, and called on both sides to seek a solution through dialogue rather than pressure.
