EU trade chief Valdis Dombrovskis has warned over “new areas of concern” in the bloc’s relationship with China, as part of a maiden visit that aims to confront “unbalanced” dealings between the two regions.In an interview with the Financial Times in Shanghai, the EU vice-president cited “implications of the anti-espionage law” in China and “data flows” as concerns, alongside market access for foreign companies in the mainland.
“We want to maintain [a] trading relationship with China, it’s important, it’s our second-largest trading partner,” Dombrovskis said. “But we need to address certain aspects of this relationship.”
His four-day visit comes just a week after Brussels launched an investigation into Chinese subsidies on electric vehicles, as tensions rise over a record €396bn bilateral trade deficit.