The bloc’s relationship with China has reached a tipping point as economic and political pressures grow.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, fourth left, listens to European Council President António Costa, second right, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, third right, during the opening remarks of the European Union-China Summit in Beijing, China, July 24, 2025. Credit: Andres Martinez Casares /Pool Photo via AP Images
A number is haunting the European Union: 1 billion euros a day. That’s the rate at which the bloc’s trade deficit with China in goods is widening, reaching 31.9 billion euros per month ($37.3 billion) in April this year. As imports from China surge and major European industries hollow out, solving the trade challenge has shot to the top of the EU’s priority list.
Ongoing trade defence investigations against Chinese imports into Europe. Credit: European Commission
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