EU sends envoy to Beijing as rising exports from China raise economic anxiety

European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic is visiting Beijing until Friday for meetings with Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao. The diplomatic mission comes as rising Chinese exports contribute to an EU trade deficit exceeding $1 billion a day, heightening economic anxiety across the bloc over potential job losses and prompting political leaders to adopt a more aggressive approach toward trade relations.

Ahead of the discussions, China advocated for open cooperation and equal dialogue as the appropriate method for resolving economic and trade differences between Beijing and the European Union. The EU, meanwhile, is bracing for potential confrontation as it navigates its relationship with its second-largest trading partner.