EU trade chief talks in Beijing as Germany blocks Cosco takeover

Šefčovič arrived for talks lasting until Friday and wrote on X that he wants to start reducing the EU's "unsustainable trade deficit". He meets Chinese Trade Minister Wang Wentao and, according to Handelsblatt, wants a time-limited standstill deal. Diplomats say China has refused voluntary limits on hybrid car exports, so Brussels is weighing a temporary safeguard with quotas and high tariffs, which probably would have to cover partners such as Japan, South Korea and Britain too. Foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said open cooperation and equal dialogue serve both sides. Germany and France are pressing for a new instrument to restrict market access quickly.