Macron’s trade ultimatum to China goes from private to public: fix surplus or face tariffs

Emmanuel Macron has warned Beijing that Europe would be forced to retaliate with “strong measures” against Chinese goods – including punitive tariffs modelled after US policy – if a trade imbalance between the two sides remains unaddressed well into 2026.

“I told them that if they do not react, we Europeans will be forced, in the next several months, to take strong measures and to de-cooperate, following the example of the United States – for instance, by imposing tariffs on Chinese products,” Macron said in the story, published on Sunday.

The ultimatum followed other publicised concerns made during his trip, but it was stronger in tone.

And its issuance was a calculated move, according to some analysts – apply public pressure after private diplomatic warnings.

“The message is: we warned you, now the article is public, and we are preparing to act collectively if China does not respond to the call for ‘give-and-take’,” said Sacha Courtial, a China researcher at the Paris-based Institut Jacques Delors think tank.

The trade imbalance between China and Europe was a subject of Macron’s trip, and he said at a press conference on Thursday: “These imbalances that are accumulating today are not sustainable. They carry risks of a financial crisis. They jeopardise our ability to grow together.”

Beyond merely a complaint, Courtial said Macron’s stance outlines a strategy for re-equilibrium through non-predatory Chinese investment on the continent, rather than a rupture in ties, according to Courtial.

For Macron, China’s rise has collided with Europe’s industrial model – having traditionally relied on machine tools and the automotive industry – adding that the situation was exacerbated by US President Donald Trump’s protectionist policies, which have diverted Chinese exports to Europe.