European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has stepped up pressure on Beijing to tackle the widening trade deficit that has become a growing source of friction between the European Union and China. In a series of meetings on the sidelines of a diplomatic forum in Brussels, she urged Chinese officials to open their market more fully to European goods and services, warning that the current imbalance is unsustainable.
Speaking to reporters after the talks, von der Leyen said the EU is not seeking confrontation but rather a more balanced economic relationship. "We want a level playing field," she said. "European companies face significant barriers in China, from local content requirements to discriminatory procurement rules. This is not about protectionism; it is about reciprocity."
The EU's trade deficit with China has widened considerably over the past year, reaching nearly €400 billion in goods trade. While European exports of machinery, vehicles, and pharmaceuticals have grown, they have been outpaced by imports of electronics, batteries, and other manufactured goods from China. The deficit has become a political flashpoint in several member states, particularly in Germany and France, where industry leaders have called for a more assertive EU trade policy.
Brussels seeks concrete commitments
Von der Leyen's remarks come ahead of a planned EU-China summit later this autumn, where trade will be high on the agenda. She said the Commission is preparing a list of specific demands, including better access for European agricultural products, reduced restrictions on foreign investment, and stronger enforcement of intellectual property rights.
"We are not asking for charity," she said. "We are asking for the same treatment that Chinese companies enjoy in Europe. That is the basis of any fair trading system."
The Chinese side has signalled some willingness to negotiate, but diplomats in Brussels remain cautious. Beijing has historically resisted binding commitments on market access, preferring bilateral deals that can be managed on a case-by-case basis. Analysts say the EU's leverage is limited by its own internal divisions, with some member states more eager to maintain good relations with China than others.
"The EU is not monolithic," said Sophie Pornschlegel, a trade analyst at the Jacques Delors Institute in Paris. "Countries like Hungary and Greece are less enthusiastic about confronting China, while France and the Netherlands are pushing for a tougher line. Von der Leyen has to navigate these differences carefully."
The pressure on China is part of a broader recalibration of EU trade policy. Earlier this year, the Commission introduced new tools to counter economic coercion and to protect European industries from unfair competition. These measures, which include the anti-coercion instrument and a revised foreign subsidies regulation, have been used sparingly so far but are seen as a warning shot to Beijing.
In a related development, the EU has been working to diversify its supply chains, particularly in critical raw materials and semiconductors. The European Chips Act, which aims to double the EU's share of global chip production by 2030, is a key part of this strategy. Von der Leyen said the EU is not seeking to decouple from China but to reduce its vulnerabilities.
"We are not talking about decoupling," she said. "We are talking about de-risking. We want to maintain open trade, but we also want to ensure that our security and our economic resilience are not compromised."
The Commission president's remarks have been met with cautious optimism in European business circles. The European Chamber of Commerce in China issued a statement welcoming her call for reciprocity, noting that European companies have long faced unequal treatment in the Chinese market. However, the chamber also warned that progress would require sustained diplomatic engagement.
As the EU and China prepare for their next summit, the trade deficit will remain a central point of contention. Von der Leyen's message is clear: Europe is willing to work with China, but not at any cost. The coming months will test whether Beijing is ready to meet the EU halfway.
