EU Seeks China Commitments On Trade Gap By Early October

According to Nikkei Asia, the European Commission will seek commitments from China to address the widening trade gap with the European Union and wants Beijing to take initial action by early October, EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic said. EU leaders asked the Commission in June to deliver results from talks with China after the bloc's trade surplus with the EU reached 360.6 billion ($412 billion) in 2025, up 15% from 2024, and widened another 9% in the first six months of 2026. Sefcovic said the discussions should cover China's large exports, barriers facing EU goods in China and Beijing's curbs on critical supplies, including minerals needed by the EU. He also said the EU wants clarity on Chinese exports of rare earths and legacy chips, and noted that the bloc will not solve its trade deficit in one trip to Beijing.