Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning

Overcapacity or shortage? Consumers have their own judgement. Products that meet demand and offer good quality at competitive prices will naturally find their way to the market, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a regular press conference on Monday.

Mao made the remarks in response to media inquiry seeking comments on recent remarks by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen claiming that the EU should continue dialogue with China on trade imbalances and that she would explicitly raise the issue of a surge of Chinese surplus products into Europe and a trend noticed by the reporter that Europe is currently experiencing a heatwave, and China-made cooling products such as air conditioners, fans and multi‑function sunscreen umbrellas are in high demand among European consumers, with some items even becoming hard to come by.

The structure of China‑EU trade is a natural outcome of market demand and comparative advantages. Facts have proven that in China‑EU trade, consumers get good value and suppliers make profits. There is no such thing as forced trade, Mao said. It is a two‑way choice that benefits both sides. "We hope that relevant people in the EU will view China‑EU economic and trade relations objectively, abandon the zero‑sum mentality, and work together to make the pie of mutual benefit bigger," the spokesperson said.