Beijing can withstand trade freeze with EU: Report

China can endure a further deterioration - or even a freeze - in economic and trade ties with the European Union if talks are treated as a mere formality, according to Yuyuantantian, a social-media account affiliated with China Central Television.

The account said the EU has altered its approach after an electric-vehicle subsidy probe, using pressure and conditions to strengthen its negotiating position. It accused the bloc of being a "rule-breaker" and said its "normative power" is weakening as it increasingly defines rules in ways that create barriers to market access.

EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic is scheduled to meet Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao in Brussels this week as the bloc presses Beijing to address a widening trade imbalance that reached about $410 billion in 2025 and continued to expand this year.


The talks come after EU leaders urged the European Commission to keep negotiating while preparing defensive measures, amid concerns over subsidised Chinese imports and supply-chain dependencies.

The account also said Chinese firms are assigning less priority to Europe, indicating the bloc's influence may be waning. It noted that many China-Europe investment projects are continuing, particularly in areas such as new-energy vehicles, batteries and automotive manufacturing that European countries are seeking to attract.