EU Trade Commissioner Calls for De-escalation After ‘Constructive’ Talk with Chinese Counterpart
BRUSSELS, Belgium: European Commissioner for Trade Maroš Šefčovič called for de-escalation with China on Tuesday and announced that his Chinese counterpart, Commerce Minister Wang Wentao, has accepted an invitation to visit Brussels for urgent talks on Beijing’s new rare earth export restrictions.
The move comes amid a tense context for European companies, who have become “collateral victims” of China’s recent decision to restrict rare earth exports, a measure seen as a renewed escalation of tensions with the United States. China first announced the new controls, which affect key materials for the auto, electronics, and defense industries, on October 9.
Following a two-hour phone call with Minister Wang Wentao, Commissioner Šefčovič described the discussion as “constructive” and expressed hope for a “prompt resolution” to the dispute.
“We have no interest in escalation,” Šefčovič stated, emphasizing the EU’s desire to quickly resolve the issue that has cast a shadow over EU-China relations.
The Commissioner confirmed that he invited Minister Wang to come to Brussels “in the coming days,” an invitation which the Chinese Commerce Minister accepted.
The new controls imposed by China affect the export of rare earths, a group of 17 minerals crucial for high-tech manufacturing, and follow a period of increasing tension in EU-China relations.