The Ministry of Commerce of China File photo: VCG

Consultations at all levels between China and the EU should adhere to the stable and balanced positioning of their critical trade partnership, uphold the principle of resolving each other's concerns on an equal footing, and should not involve unilateral demands, conditions, or even threats such as closing markets at every turn, a Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) spokesperson said on Thursday.

The comment was made in responding to EU trade chief's recent threats of trade defense instruments and market closure against China if negotiations fail to yield results. According to a report by the Euro News, EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič said "China must deliver concrete results" in talks with the EU by October or the country will face "harsher measures." 

"China has repeatedly stressed that the EU should face its own economic and trade problems squarely, and China is not the source of those problems. Rather, China can be a partner in helping the EU to solve them," MOFCOM spokesperson Huang Ling said. 

Huang urged the EU to stand by free trade, jointly uphold the WTO-centered, rules-based multilateral trading system, and refrain from sliding into the abyss of protectionism.

"Protectionism leads nowhere, and win-win cooperation is the right path. China is ready to work with the EU to strengthen regular, institutionalized communication on trade, manage differences, expand practical cooperation and move China-EU trade toward a higher and more balanced track," Huang said. 

Huang also stressed that it is an important consensus reached by Chinese and EU leaders to properly resolving each other's concerns through dialogue and consultation. And China has in recent years worked to put that consensus into practice, stepping up economic and trade talks with the EU and seeking to manage frictions and differences. 

According to Huang, since the first meeting of the China-EU trade and investment consultation mechanism on 29 June, the MOFCOM has stayed in close contact with the EU side at all levels and discussed workable ways to address each side's concerns. 

From 31 August to Wednesday, MOFCOM Vice Minister Ling Ji held talks with Denis Redonnet, deputy director-general of the European Commission's Trade and Economic Security who visited China. The two sides held in-depth consultations on issues of mutual interest.

Global Times