Tensions over trade escalated again on the 8th of April, 2025, and the European Union has stepped in.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reached out to Beijing, urging China to push for a negotiated fix to the fallout from US President Donald Trump’s sweeping import tariffs.
In a phone call with Premier Li Qiang, von der Leyen stressed the weight Europe and China carry in global commerce. As two of the largest players, she said, both sides must back a trading system that is “free, fair, and founded on a level playing field.”
Her office said they also looked at the risks of trade diversion. With tariffs straining US-China exchanges, the EU is wary that cheap Chinese goods could flood into Europe instead. A joint tracking mechanism may soon be in the works.
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Meanwhile, reports show Trump isn’t backing down. He has threatened to slap an extra 50 per cent tariff on China and criticized Beijing’s 34 per cent retaliatory measure.
Beijing’s response? Firm and direct.
China has vowed never to cave in. Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, dismissed US tactics, saying: “We have made it clear repeatedly that pressuring or threatening China is not the right way to engage with us. China will firmly protect its legitimate rights and interests.”
In other words, China isn’t blinking.