The talks followed a joint proposal from France and Germany for a rapid response "kill switch" that would allow the EU to block specific products or exclude entire nations from the single market within days. This measure, which a senior official described as a "torture chamber" for dependent markets, marks a reversal for Germany, which shifted from protecting its China trade to co-authoring what is now the bloc's most confrontational trade proposal.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
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China Calls EU Trade Talks Pragmatic After Germany's Pivot on Beijing
Geopolitics12 days ago
European Union Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic concluded a two day visit to Beijing to negotiate a reduction in a goods trade deficit that reached €360 billion last year. China's Commerce Ministry described the discussions as "pragmatic and productive," ending a period of heightened tension where Beijing had threatened to launch foreign-subsidy probes and anti-discrimination measures in response to more aggressive EU trade stances.
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