Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao talked with EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic on Thursday via a video link, the Ministry of Commerce said in a post on Friday. The two sides conducted in-depth and professional exchanges on topics of China-EU economic and trade cooperation including the trade remedy case on electric vehicles, export controls, and market access issues.
The two sides agreed that they should work together and meet each other halfway to make good preparations in economic and trade fields for the important China-EU agenda this year and promote the healthy, stable and sustainable development of China-EU economic and trade relations, per the press release.
The video link took place after the two met in a face-to-face meeting in Paris in earlier June.
Following a meeting between Wang Wentao and Maros Sefcovic in France on June 3, the MOFCOM said in a statement on June 7 that the EV price commitment negotiations between China and the EU have entered the final stage, though further efforts are still required from both parties.
According to the June 7 statement, both sides held focused, candid, and in-depth discussions on urgent and important issues, including the EU's anti-subsidy probe into Chinese EVs, China's anti-dumping probe on EU brandy, and export controls.
Both sides called on their working teams to intensify efforts in preparing for this year's major China-EU economic and trade agenda, per the June 7 statement.
According to a separate statement on June 7, Chinese Commerce Minister has said that China is willing to establish a green channel for eligible applications from the EU to accelerate rare-earth export approvals.
The meeting on June 3 was first reported by the Global Times on May 26.
The two meetings took place as some Western media outlets, including the Financial Times, reported on June 17 that the EU has refused to hold a flagship economic meeting with Beijing because of a lack of progress on numerous trade disputes, citing sources.
At press conferences this week, spokespersons from China's Foreign Ministry and the MOFCOM both stated that the China and the EU have maintained communication on trade and economic issues.
At a time of escalating global turbulence and rampant unilateralism and economic coercion, enhanced strategic communication and deepened dialogue and cooperation between China and the EU will benefit both sides and the world, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a routine press conference on June 17.
