China has renewed warnings to the European Union that it will retaliate against any new trade restrictions imposed by Brussels.“If the EU insists on unilaterally introducing new trade instruments and imposing discriminatory restrictions, China will resolutely retaliate and take effective measures to safeguard its own interests,” the Ministry of Commerce said in a statement on Saturday.The ministry said communication channels between China and the EU were open, and both sides sought to conduct relevant dialogues. It also announced that China and the EU were exploring the establishment of a trade and investment consultation mechanism, but offered no details of the plan.09:10Can the Middle East war turbocharge China’s global EV ambitions?The statement follows European Commission meetings on Friday to discuss potential economic security tools aimed at addressing the bloc’s widening trade imbalance with China.While no immediate measures were announced, the EU is expected to ramp up safeguards in sectors that are under severe pressure from Chinese overcapacity.European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will present the recommendations to EU leaders at the European Council summit on June 18 and 19, when relations with Beijing are set for the agenda.“The current state of the trade and investment relationship is not sustainable,” Brussels said in a statement after the meeting on Friday, while noting that its approach remained one of “de-risking, not decoupling” from China.