French President Emmanuel Macron has raised the prospect of countermeasures against China unless it changes its trade policy, in an interview with French business daily Les Echos following a three-day visit to the country.
"I am trying to explain to the Chinese that their trade surplus is not sustainable because they are in the process of killing off their own customers, notably by no longer importing much from us," Macron said.
"I told them that if they do not respond, we Europeans would be forced in the coming months to take strong measures and scale down cooperation, following the example of the United States, for example through tariffs on Chinese products."
China is France’s most important trading partner in Asia, yet the French economy runs a clear trade deficit with China,…
French President Emmanuel Macron has raised the prospect of countermeasures against China unless it changes its trade policy, in an interview with French business daily Les Echos following a three-day visit to the country.
"I am trying to explain to the Chinese that their trade surplus is not sustainable because they are in the process of killing off their own customers, notably by no longer importing much from us," Macron said.
"I told them that if they do not respond, we Europeans would be forced in the coming months to take strong measures and scale down cooperation, following the example of the United States, for example through tariffs on Chinese products."
China is France’s most important trading partner in Asia, yet the French economy runs a clear trade deficit with China, with imports far exceeding exports. In 2024, the deficit totalled more than €46 billion ($53.5 billion).
For the EU as a whole, the trade deficit exceeds €300 billion. Weak Chinese demand is a problem for German, French and other EU companies, while the People’s Republic is increasingly selling products into the EU as a consequence of its trade dispute with the US.
China is striking at the heart of Europe’s industrial and innovation model, Macron said. US protectionism was exacerbating the situation because Chinese goods flows are being massively diverted to the European market.
He said Europe is caught in the middle, with the very survival of its industry at stake. "We have become the adjustment market and that is the worst-case scenario."
Macron called on China to consume more and open its domestic market. Chinese firms should also come to Europe, as energy group EDF and aircraft manufacturer Airbus had done in reverse 25 years ago, and build sales markets on the continent, he said.
"We recognize that they are very good in certain areas, but we cannot import permanently," the French president said. According to Les Echos, he was referring to the battery sector, electric cars and lithium processing.
"Chinese investments in Europe must not be predatory," he told the newspaper, noting that Beijing must not aim to create dependencies.
At the same time, he said Europe should boost its competitiveness, simplify, invest in innovation and deepen the single market. Macron urged both sides to end aggressive policies such as export restrictions.