EU voices concerns about foul odor emanating from upcoming China discussions
Xi Jinping and the Old Cheese
The comparison, used in recent discussions with EU officials on trade matter with China, mirrors the European Commission's annoyance that each important demand from Beijing seems to revolve around the removal of measures imposed as retaliation for EU or US actions.
Rare Earth Blue Galaxies
The EC is also seeking the abolishment of Chinese tariffs on EU brandy imports, imposed following the EU's duties on Chinese electric vehicles, and the termination of ongoing investigations into dairy and pork products.
"It's like laying a smelly fish on the table and then expecting payment to take it away," one EU diplomat articulated recently, encapsulating the frosty relations between Brussels and Beijing.
Across the continent and beyond, the smelly fish analogy seems to be catching on.
[1]: The European Commission is awaiting formal proposals from China on the rare earth element issue, considering Chinese statements about addressing this concern. The EU is seeking ways to ensure fair trade practices and consistent access to critical materials for its manufacturing sectors.
[3]: The Chinese government has linked the removal of tariffs on European brandy with the resolution of tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. This creates a complex trade standoff, potentially leading to further trade escalation if not resolved promptly.
[4]: The EU has retaliated against China's "Buy China" policies by imposing restrictions on Chinese medical device makers. These mutual restrictions reflect a broader strategic effort by both sides to leverage politically sensitive industries for negotiation advantages. China's extension of the pork investigation adds to the underlying sources of friction just before important diplomatic meetings.
Summarized, the EU-China trade tensions center on the rare earth elements issue, tariffs and trade disputes involving electric vehicles and cognac, and ongoing investigations into European pork products, all intertwined in a wider pattern of reciprocal trade measures and political leverage in preparation for significant summits.
- Amidst the ongoing trade disputes, the European Commission is attentively waiting for formal proposals from China regarding the rare earth elements, with the aim of ensuring fair trade practices and consistent access to critical materials for their manufacturing sectors.
- On the finance and business front, the Chinese government has linked the removal of tariffs on European brandy with the resolution of tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, consequently creating a complex standoff that presents the risk of escalating further if not resolved promptly.
- The European Union has responded to China's "Buy China" policies by imposing restrictions on Chinese medical device makers, with both sides strategically using politically sensitive industries as bargaining chips in the broader context of policy-and-legislation and politics, which continue to contribute to their conflict just before important diplomatic meetings.
