Publication

With the rise of the European trade deficit the tone of European trade policy towards China has become noticeably more irritated. At the same time a protectionist attitude motivated by nationalist sentiments has taken hold in China. Nevertheless, rather than engaging in confrontation the two sides would like in future to resolve their trade disputes through dialogue. Hence the EU and China conducted their first High Level Economic and Trade Dialogue (HLM) in Peking at the end of April as they had resolved to do at the last bilateral summit.