Why does Europe fear a flood of cheap goods from China

For years, China has made an economic challenge to Europe. Now, it can become an economic disaster.

It produces a wide range of artificial cheap commodities – highly supported electronics, consumer electronics, games, commercial steel, and more – but many of this trade was scheduled to go to the endless American market.

Now, with many of those goods facing an unusual wall of definitions thanks to President Trump, fear increases the dumping of more products in Europe, weakening local industries in France, Germany, Italy and the rest of the European Union.

These countries now find themselves besieged in the middle of Mr. Trump A spiral trade war with China. Their leaders extend to a thin line between surrender and confrontation, hoping to avoid side damage.

“The excessive challenge of features took a long time, but it finally reached European capitals,” Liana said. “There is a general trend and a feeling in Europe that at these times, Europe must defend itself and have to protect itself.”

Ursula von der Lynne, head of the European Commission, promised “to engage in a constructive manner” with China even as it warns of “Indirect effects“From the American definitions and pledged to watch the flow of Chinese goods closely. You will monitor the work band Imports of signs of dumping.

“We cannot accommodate the global excessive capacity and we will not accept getting rid of our market,” said Mrs. von der Lynne with the intervention of the tariff of Mr. Trump in a valid.

Its difficult message, but the measuring to both China and the United States impressed trade experts who say it may be the best opportunity for Europe to avoid economic disasters. Jeanca Ertil, director of the Asia program at the European Council for Foreign Relations, described it as a “discreet” response to the threat from Beijing.

“They continue to stand on their land in China, because they are their disagreements,” she said.

But the moment of high risks is the continent’s unit test.

Pedro Sanchez, Spanish Prime Minister, traveled last week to Beijing to meet President Xi Jinping, and urged to increase participation with China as a hedge against American definitions. His communication, He was visually arrested In a handshake with the Chinese leader, it came even when Mrs. von der Lin and the leadership of the European Commission, the executive branch of the mass, continued to demand assurances from Beijing that dumping will not accelerate.

Germany last year Opposition China is afraid that the European Union’s electric vehicle tariffs will raise taxes on its auto industry. In Britain, he is no longer a member of the bloc, Prime Minister Kiir Starmer called for “consistent, lasting and respectful” relations with China as he struggled to start his country’s slow economy.

“The worst scenario is the high definitions in the United States” while at the same time “China is immersing the European market.” He said this will be “a double uproar for the European industry. This is what Europe wants to avoid.”

Leaders who argue that close relations with China may be part of the answer, such as Mr. Sanchez in Spain and Mr. Starmer in Britain, as a political -winning message at a time when their country is eager to more foreign investment.

The ads of a new Chinese factory will eventually create thousands of jobs that are popular at home. But sometimes, this passion can threaten to reduce a consistent European message about trade.

“Spain sees completely different things from Poland.” “There is a continuous discussion in Europe on what should be their position towards China.”

But commercial experts say that the economic relationship between Europe and China has been rooted in the fact of decades: a Chinese market is actually closed to many European companies because of the organizational burdens and the Communist Party Chinese companies support. European Commercial deficit with China Nearly $ 332 billion (292 billion euros) was in 2023.

European Union leadership describes China as “Systematic competitor“The relationships with the Asian nation have been strained in recent years for a set of reasons, including China’s support From Russia The war also on Ukraine.

The last talks between senior European commissioners and their Chinese counterparts contain sharp warnings from the European side.

“The current commercial relations of the Chinese stock exchange are unbalanced,” the European Commission said in a statement after Marus Sivkovic, the Bloc Commerce Commissioner. He visited Beijing To discuss access to the market. The statement hinted at the tensions during the visit, saying that China and Europe have a wide commercial deficit “fed by illegal subsidies.”

For years, European officials have requested concessions from China, which include voluntary restrictions on charging cheap goods and minimal prices to compensate for the large government subsidies on incorrect European companies.

Meanwhile, Chinese officials seemed excited in recent days to paint Europe as an increasing commercial partner. China’s readings after Mr. Sevkovic’s visit to Beijing only mentioned little about the difficult talk. He – she He said that Mr. Sefcovic described China as an “important partner” and that the two economies “will jointly and pregnant jointly.”

After Mr. Trump’s introduction on April 2, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said it was He agreed to restart the negotiations With the mass over the highest definitions in Europe on Chinese electric cars.

When asked about this announcement, European officials hit a more complete tone. Olov Jill, a spokesman for the European Union for Trade, said that officials agreed to “continue discussions” on electric car supplies chains and took a new look at the prices.

China’s batch was sometimes more public. China’s mission to the European Union runs a series of articles it sponsors on the EURACTIV site, a prominent source in Brussels Policy Circles. Articles focus on how China and Europe may approach together. “With a hurricane swelling across Washington, China looks a strategic partner for Europe.” Declare.

At the present time, the European Union has made little offer – instead prompted China to reach an agreement with the United States, hoping to avoid repercussions if it fails to do so.

The Chinese European Union Summit is scheduled to be held this year, and perhaps in the second half of July.

“I think Europe is basically only contemplating the summer with everything, or more or less, and the economy is not disrupted,” said Ms. Fix. “For a kind of landing on the plane until the summer, then preparing for what comes after that.”