Macron Threatens China with EU Tariffs

French President Emmanuel Macron has warned China that the European Union may impose tariffs on Chinese goods if Beijing does not address its widening trade deficit with the bloc. During his state visit to China, Emmanuel Macron emphasized that China's trade surplus is unsustainable and is harming European industries, particularly in sectors like machine tools and automobiles. He noted that the European Union's goods trade deficit with China has significantly increased since 2019, exceeding €300 billion last year. Emmanuel Macron also highlighted that the United States' protectionist policies under Donald Trump have exacerbated the situation by redirecting Chinese exports towards the European Union market. While Emmanuel Macron has discussed the issue with Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the International — European Commission, he acknowledged that achieving a unified stance among European Union members, especially with Germany, remains a challenge. Emmanuel Macron called for China to boost domestic consumption, lower market barriers, and for Chinese companies to invest in Europe, while also proposing a rollback of export restrictions on semiconductor machinery and rare earths.