Ursula von der Leyen Warns of EU's Dangerous Dependency on China

The European Union must strive for fair economic relations with China, as dependency on Beijing could be used to exert pressure on the EU. This warning was issued by Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission.

She noted that some Chinese companies receive subsidies that are up to eight times greater than the support provided to comparable firms in OECD countries. "Over the past five years, imports from China to the EU have increased by 45%, while our exports to China are declining. Our trade deficit with China has now reached nearly 1 billion euros daily," von der Leyen stated.

According to the President of the European Commission, China remains a key economic partner for the EU, and Brussels is pursuing a policy of "reducing risks without severing ties." At the same time, the EU cannot accept continuous economic imbalances.

Von der Leyen emphasized that more than half of European industrial production is already facing competition from China. Additionally, China controls key links in supply chains. "For many critical raw materials, our dependence on China exceeds 80%, and for some rare metals, it reaches 90%. We have realized that this dependency could be used as leverage against us," she highlighted.

She added that dialogue with China is necessary, but it must yield results. If negotiations are insufficient, the EU must fully utilize its protective tools at its disposal. She also noted that in just the last year, the EU has launched over 30 new investigations in the area of trade protection. According to the European Commission, these measures already protect over 600,000 European jobs.

"Our market remains open, but being open requires security, fairness, and reciprocity," concluded the President of the European Commission.