Wang Yi urges China-EU talks to ease trade frictions
On.cc · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago5 MIN
Summary
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (王毅) held a phone call on Monday, September 14, with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot at Barrot's request, according to Chinese state-backed and Hong Kong media reports.
During the call, Wang said China and the European Union should maintain their partnership orientation, pursue mutual benefit and openness, and properly handle current trade frictions through constructive dialogue rather than escalation.
He also said the one-China principle is the political foundation of the China-France comprehensive strategic partnership and urged France to uphold that principle in concrete terms.
Barrot said France firmly adheres to the one-China policy and is willing to promote constructive exchanges between Europe and China to find solutions to current economic and trade difficulties.
Key Points
- Wang said the one-China principle is the political basis of China-France ties and urged France to avoid any official exchanges with Taiwan.
- He also called on France not to send what Beijing sees as wrong signals to pro-independence forces in Taiwan.
- On China-EU trade tensions, Wang said both sides should stick to partnership, mutual benefit and reciprocal openness to resolve frictions.
- Wang argued protectionism would not improve Europe's competitiveness, but would raise inflation, reduce access to affordable goods and slow green transition efforts.
- Both ministers also exchanged views on Iran and the Ukraine crisis, with Wang outlining China's principled position on those issues.
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, the call points to Beijing's effort to keep political disputes and trade tensions with Europe from worsening at the same time.
If China and the EU can keep talking instead of escalating, that could help preserve a more stable external environment for trade- and finance-linked economies such as Hong Kong.