Chinese Foreign Ministry on Thursday urged the European Union to view China-EU economic and trade relations in an objective and rational manner, saying that trade protectionism runs counter to economic principles and benefits neither side.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks at a regular press briefing, expressing hope that China and the EU should work together to reduce differences, expand cooperation and achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.
At the briefing, a reporter asked about reports that the European Union is expected to introduce new trade restrictions targeting China in mid-June. The reporter noted that despite the EU’s efforts to pursue a “de-risking” strategy, a recent survey by the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China found that 68% of European companies plan to maintain or expand their operations in China, while nearly one-third intend to further deepen their localization efforts in the Chinese market.
In response, Mao said that over the past five decades, annual trade between China and the EU has grown by more than 300-fold, while two-way investment has approached $260 billion.
“These figures fully demonstrate the strong momentum and broad prospects of China-EU cooperation,” Mao said.
She stressed that China-EU economic and trade cooperation is rooted in shared interests and is the result of comparative advantages and market forces.
“Complementarity is not a risk, and intertwined interests are not a threat,” Mao said. “The fact that an increasing number of European companies are choosing to deepen their presence in China and expand their investments here is in itself the strongest response to the so-called ‘de-risking’ narrative.”
SOURCE: CGTN News