As trade tensions with China escalate, EU officials are engaging Beijing to de-escalate while simultaneously preparing for a potential trade war to protect its industries from deindustrialisation. Brussels aims to acquire retaliatory tools to counter coercive trade practices.
The EU's current trade disputes with China share similarities with the 1970s-80s trade conflict between Europe and Japan, particularly concerning fears of import competition undermining domestic production in sectors like autos and electronics. However, China's geopolitical status as a "systemic rival" distinguishes it from Japan, which was a political ally.
G7 leaders at their recent summit in France failed to present a united front against China, issuing milder statements on critical minerals and global imbalances. This comes as the EU and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz express strong stances against China's trade practices and alleged yuan undervaluation.
China's foreign ministry confirmed ongoing "communications on the relevant dialogue" with the EU. EU sources indicated meetings were postponed, not as retaliation by Beijing, amid Chinese academic Guo Mingxu's criticism of Brussels blaming China for its own failures.
西班牙、義大利、荷蘭、法國與立陶宛等四個歐盟主要經濟體，正推動更強硬的貿易措施，以應對中國工業產能過剩導致的出口激增，並保護歐洲工業免受「中國衝擊2.0」的影響。他們呼籲歐盟採取更快速的緊急關稅、更廣泛的防衛措施及新的反規避權力。
Even as “China shock 2.0” is roiling Western manufacturers, we must, it seems, brace for “China shock 3.0” – to the global food economy – as President Xi Jinping doubles down on the imperative that has obsessed Beijing for decades: food security. “China’s Food Future”, a consultation paper by Systemiq funded by the California-based Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, warns that China is poised to “reshape global agricultural commodity supply chains”. It suggests China is set to apply to...
Economist Bai Chongen argues that China's status as a middle-income country with a massive population and strong commercialization capabilities distinguishes it from Japan's economic trajectory.
China is advancing beyond subsidies in advanced manufacturing, moving from 'old three' textiles to 'new three' EVs, batteries and solar panels, with 'newer three' in AI, robots and medicines. Engineers, supply chain depth and policy execution are key drivers alongside state funding.
If the “China shock” of the early 2000s was about China catching up, then “China shock 2.0” is about the country redefining the boundaries of what is economically possible across manufacturing sectors, according to Columbia University professor Adam Tooze. Amid complaints about the trade and industrial policies accelerating China’s rise in many sectors – including aviation, space, artificial intelligence (AI), telecoms, microprocessors, robotics, nuclear and fusion power, quantum computing,...
