China's commerce minister warns EU against protectionism
The warning comes as Brussels and Beijing prepare for an October trade visit and Washington and Beijing near a September 24 summit
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China's commerce minister urged the European Union not to pursue protectionist measures that could restrict or close markets, warning that such steps risk triggering wider global fragmentation.
The warning lands amid active, if uneven, engagement between the two sides. European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic said EU-China trade talks had produced a credible outcome and plans to visit China on October 8 and 9. Volkswagen's chief financial officer said the Chinese car market has already shrunk 20%, with no stabilization in sight, after the company cut its 2026 profit outlook on September 18. Volkswagen shares fell more than 7% following that announcement.
Parallel talks between the United States and China add another layer to the picture. US and Chinese negotiators held a second day of trade discussions in New York focused on artificial intelligence and investment. President Trump and President Xi are due to meet in Washington on September 24 to discuss trade, rare earths and artificial intelligence. The United States has proposed a six-month extension of the tariff truce between the two countries, while China is pushing for a longer one, according to the New York Times.
China's rhetoric against protectionism carries limited weight given the practical friction still running across these fronts, from the EU's concerns over auto tariffs to the rare-earth supply questions shadowing the US talks and the slower dance over AI and trade deals. The statement reads as diplomatic positioning rather than a shift in policy, and the underlying tensions in both the US-China and EU-China relationships remain essentially unchanged.