A China wants to deal with the European Union as a partner and not as a rival, the Chinese ambassador to Spain said, amid geopolitical changes and a new US trade policy that he described as unilateral economic abuse.
Yao Jing told Reuters the EU's 2019 strategy, which defined China as its "partner for cooperation, economic competitor and systemic rival", made little sense as both sides advocated open markets and rules-based trade.
“We should focus on partnership. China will never be a threat or any kind of enemy to the EU,” Yao said, praising the bloc’s multilateral approach to foreign relations in opposition to US President Donald Trump’s isolationist agenda.
Last week, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Many interpreted the visit as an attempt by China to strengthen economic and political ties with Europe amid the fallout from Trump's tariffs.
Shortly before Sánchez's trip, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that getting closer to the Asian country would be like "cutting your own throat", a comment rejected by Madrid.
Yao said he was shocked by Bessent's remarks, adding that the US "indeed cuts everyone's throat" with its unilateral tariffs.
“And that is why China is firmly against this kind of economic abuse by the United States,” he said.
“Open door”
Yao said Europe should drop its export controls on certain high-tech products, including semiconductors. He also said tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) should be eliminated. He also criticized restrictions on Chinese companies such as Huawei and ZTE from accessing Europe's 5G network.
Beijing, for its part, has been opening up sectors such as telecommunications, banking or manufacturing to foreign investment, he said.
Yao said the EU's trade deficit with China, which was about US$1.4 trillion last year, could not disappear overnight. It was due to structural issues. However, he expected gradual progress.
China eases restrictions on European pork
“We have made it very clear that China will open its doors over time, and that door will never be closed. We are ready to open our market to other EU members, as we have just done with Spain,” he said.
The two countries agreed on Friday to allow Chinese market access to Spanish pork stomachs. Chinese consumers consume the product extensively, but authorities have not previously authorized it. Some analysts saw the move as a sign that Beijing could ease its anti-dumping investigation into EU pork. China launched the probe last year in retaliation for EU tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles.
Yao said the investigation was ongoing but there was a willingness to resolve differences through negotiations.
Source: David Latona | Notícias Agrícolas
