Exclusive | ‘Rebalancing’ needed in China-Europe relationship, chamber president says
Jens Eskelund, president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, says bilateral trade has been fruitful but lopsided in Beijing’s favour
The president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China – the chief non-profit organisation advocating on behalf of the continent’s businesses – has said the relationship between Beijing and Brussels has reached a tipping point, encouraging the two to realign their collaborative model and distribute benefits in a more equitable manner.
“When we look back at the past 50 years of the bilateral relationship, it has created enormous value for both sides,” Eskelund told the Post on the eve of the chamber’s 25th anniversary. “Chinese exports have created jobs and wealth in China, and given the average European higher purchasing power.
“Now the question is, if we are in a situation where very intense pressure from China leads to losses for European companies … then, of course it becomes, ‘Hang on, why are we doing this?’”
The relationship between China and the EU has been fraught in recent years, despite continuous dialogue as both sides seek to avoid the sort of full-blown trade war being waged by US President Donald Trump.