World

China and EU discuss deepening economic cooperation

Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao and European Commission Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maroš Šefčovič discussed ways to strengthen China-EU economic and trade relations in a video conference.

The meeting occurred when US President Donald Trump imposed new tariffs on China, threatening to raise them to 125 percent. Although Trump has temporarily eased his tariffs on several countries, China's restrictions have become more stringent.

According to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, the parties agreed to resume negotiations on minimum price commitments for Chinese electric vehicles. Following an anti-subsidy investigation in October, the EU had already imposed additional tariffs of up to 35.3 percent on electric cars manufactured in China.

The parties also discussed creating a favorable business environment for enterprises, continuing cooperation within the WTO, and promoting organization reform.

The Chinese government has stressed its willingness to deepen trade, investment, and industrial cooperation with the European Union, which officials say can contribute to global economic stability.