China and EU: Differences over Economy, Security Stand Out

Editorial

16:30 JST, July 27, 2025

The European Union and China are both dealing with pressure from the high tariff policy adopted by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

It appears to have been shown once again that even under such circumstances, the two sides cannot always promote cooperation unconditionally by putting aside their differences on the economy and security.

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, which is the EU’s executive arm, and Antonio Costa, president of the European Council — a position equivalent to president of the EU — visited Beijing and held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other officials.

The summit talks were initially scheduled to take place in Brussels, where the EU’s headquarters are located. However, after China proposed that Premier Li Qiang attend the talks, von der Leyen reportedly requested a meeting with Xi and decided to visit China.

The EU side appears to have considered it vital to have direct dialogue with Xi, who has concentrated all authority in his hands in today’s China, in order to resolve various issues.

“As our cooperation has deepened, so have the imbalances. Rebalancing our bilateral relation is essential,” von der Leyen said during the meeting with Xi. Such remarks are meant to express the EU’s frustration with some of China’s actions, such as heightening economic coercion through trade.

Specifically, the EU side expressed concerns over the influx into the EU of inexpensive electric vehicles manufactured with Chinese government subsidies, while also calling for abolishing export controls on rare earths that Beijing imposed in April.

However, Xi said the challenges facing Europe do not come from China and criticized the EU for imposing additional tariffs on Chinese-made EVs.

Regarding Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, Costa urged Xi to use China’s influence to press Moscow toward a ceasefire.

The EU has been concerned that China has effectively supported the ongoing aggression through such acts as importing massive amounts of oil from Russia while exporting to the country materials that can be used for military purposes.

In the past, the EU was less cautious toward China, which is geographically distant, and rather tended to regard it as an important economic partner.

However, the EU has seen China seeking to expand its influence on Europe through its Belt and Road Initiative, a vision to create a vast economic zone, and witnessed the country aligning itself with Russia, the greatest threat to Europe. Given the situation, the EU’s perception of China has grown increasingly harsh.

Anticipating a prolonged confrontation with the United States, China has shown its willingness to improve relations with the EU, particularly by growing closer to Hungary and other forces, which have taken a noticeably conciliatory stance toward China and Russia.

Such moves to disrupt EU unity in an apparent attempt to divide the bloc will only deepen the EU’s distrust further.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 27, 2025)