China’s Ambassador to Spain, Yao Jing, stated that China is eager to be seen as a partner rather than a rival to the European Union, emphasizing the need for collaboration amidst shifting global dynamics and U.S. trade policies, which he described as "unilateral economic abuse."
In an interview with Reuters, Yao criticized the EU's 2019 strategy that described China as its "partner for cooperation, economic competitor, and systemic rival," calling it a contradictory stance. He pointed out that both China and the EU advocate for open markets and rules-based trade, and he stressed that China would never pose a threat to the EU. "We should put our focus on partnership," Yao said, contrasting China’s multilateral approach with U.S. President Donald Trump's isolationist policies.
Yao’s comments come as Spain seeks to strengthen its economic and political ties with China. Last week, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. The meeting was widely seen as an effort to bolster Sino-European relations amid the economic fallout from U.S. tariffs. Before the trip, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that closer ties with China would be "cutting your own throat," a remark that was dismissed by the Spanish government.
Responding to Bessent’s comments, Yao expressed surprise and frustration, accusing the U.S. of causing harm with its unilateral tariffs. "The U.S. in fact cuts everyone's throats with its unilateral tariffs," he said. "And this is why China is firmly against this kind of economic abuse by the United States."
Trade Issues and Cooperation
On the subject of trade, Yao urged the EU to lift export controls on key high-tech products like semiconductors and remove tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs). He also called for an end to restrictions on Chinese companies such as Huawei and ZTE, which have faced limitations in accessing Europe's 5G network.
In return, Yao highlighted China's efforts to open its own markets to foreign investment, including in sectors like telecommunications, banking, and manufacturing. "We've made it very clear that China will open its door with the passage of time, and this door will never be closed," he said, noting that China is ready to expand market access to EU members, as demonstrated by recent agreements with Spain.
One such agreement involved granting China access to Spanish pork stomach, a product previously unauthorized for export. This move was seen by some analysts as a possible signal that Beijing may ease its anti-dumping investigation into EU pork, which was launched last year in retaliation for EU tariffs on Chinese EVs.
Despite the ongoing probe into EU pork imports, Yao conveyed a willingness to resolve trade differences through dialogue and negotiations, reinforcing China’s commitment to long-term economic cooperation with Europe.
As the U.S. continues to impose tariffs on global trade, including with both China and the EU, the economic and political landscape is evolving, with China positioning itself as a key player in reshaping international relations and trade norms.
A restaurant fire in northeast China killed 22 people and injured three others on Tuesday, state broadcaster CCTV reported, without giving any details on the cause of the blaze.
Germany is steadily losing export market share to China within the European Union, according to a report released Monday by the KfW Development Bank.
SIPRI’s annual report, released Monday, said global military expenditure reached $2.72 trillion in 2024, a 9.4% increase from 2023 and the largest year-on-year rise since the Cold War's end. This marks the tenth straight year of growth.
China has announced that it has taken control of Sandy Cay reef, a disputed landform in the South China Sea, located just a few kilometers from a key Philippine military outpost. The reef, which China refers to as Tiexian Jiao, is also claimed by Taiwan, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
Donald Trump's cabinet members sent mixed signals on whether tariff talks with China are underway, despite Trump's claims, fueling confusion as market instability and recession fears grow amid ongoing tensions between the world’s two largest economies.
Estonia’s defense minister Hanno Pevkur says the U.S. will keep its 80,000 troops in Europe, calling bases like Ramstein and Naples crucial to NATO’s eastern shield and American power projection despite Washington’s growing Indo-Pacific focus.
Mark Carney walked into the Prime Minister’s Office on Wellington Street Tuesday morning, his first official act after steering the Liberals to a decisive election triumph and reclaiming the reins of Canada’s government.
Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. agreed Tuesday to enhance economic and defense cooperation, affirming their opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas through force or coercion.
At the Three Seas Initiative summit, Polish President Andrzej Duda, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković briefed reporters after talks with leaders from 11 Central- and Eastern-European states, underscoring regional cooperation on energy.
Meta is launching its first-ever AI developer conference, LlamaCon, on Tuesday, aiming to re-engage the developer community and spotlight the company’s Llama family of open AI models.
Russia launched a major missile and drone assault on Kyiv overnight on April 24, killing at least twelve people and injuring 90, including children and a pregnant woman, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
In an expansive interview marking his first 100 days back in office, President Donald Trump sketched out an agenda that touches everything from punitive tariffs and China policy to cease-fire hopes in Ukraine and an overhaul of domestic programmes. Below are the highlights.
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For three generations, the Liebigs built railcars in Görlitz. Now, the factory that shaped their lives will produce parts for battle tanks.
A deadly explosion at Iran’s Bandar Abbas port has left at least 40 dead, with more than 1,200 people injured, state media reported on Sunday, halting operations at one of the country’s most vital trade hubs.
Amazon says it never planned to display Trump-era tariffs on product pages, disputing a report that drew a sharp response from the White House.
Nearly 39,000 people have been deported to Mexico since U.S. President Donald Trump took office, and 33,000 of them are Mexican nationals, President Claudia Sheinbaum said Tuesday.
Prince William and Princess Kate marked their 14th wedding anniversary Tuesday with a rare joint appearance on Mull and Iona, their first major public trip since the princess’s cancer treatment.
Estonia’s defense minister Hanno Pevkur says the U.S. will keep its 80,000 troops in Europe, calling bases like Ramstein and Naples crucial to NATO’s eastern shield and American power projection despite Washington’s growing Indo-Pacific focus.
Mark Carney walked into the Prime Minister’s Office on Wellington Street Tuesday morning, his first official act after steering the Liberals to a decisive election triumph and reclaiming the reins of Canada’s government.
Estonia’s defense minister Hanno Pevkur says the U.S. will keep its 80,000 troops in Europe, calling bases like Ramstein and Naples crucial to NATO’s eastern shield and American power projection despite Washington’s growing Indo-Pacific focus.
Mark Carney walked into the Prime Minister’s Office on Wellington Street Tuesday morning, his first official act after steering the Liberals to a decisive election triumph and reclaiming the reins of Canada’s government.
Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. agreed Tuesday to enhance economic and defense cooperation, affirming their opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas through force or coercion.
At the Three Seas Initiative summit, Polish President Andrzej Duda, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković briefed reporters after talks with leaders from 11 Central- and Eastern-European states, underscoring regional cooperation on energy.
Meta is launching its first-ever AI developer conference, LlamaCon, on Tuesday, aiming to re-engage the developer community and spotlight the company’s Llama family of open AI models.
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