Senior diplomats say China is no longer as fearsome as some Europeans believe
Europe’s leaders are expected to agree over dinner late on Thursday that something needs to be done to protect European industries from Chinese imports, though many tremble at the prospect of taking on Beijing.
The EU summit discussion dish of “global macroeconomic imbalances” is gloriously vague when everyone knows the evening’s discussion will be China for entrée, plat and dessert.
So unwilling are European heads of state and government to offend Beijing that there will be no mention of China in the Council conclusions, with language restricted to an exhortation “to strengthen EU competitiveness and strategic autonomy”.
According to senior diplomats and officials, even countries such as Germany and Spain (who are most closely interlinked with China on trade), are ready to listen to France and others concerned that a flood of cheap, often highly subsidised, goods are undermining Europe’s industries.
