China premier, EU chief stress cooperation as Trump tariffs bite

25/9/2025 15:56

China's Premier Li Qiang and European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen stressed cooperation during their meeting in New York, as the world's No.2 and No.3 economies looked to defuse trade tensions while squeezed by U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs.



Von der Leyen, in a statement on her X account after the meeting on Wednesday, said she had discussed trade matters with China's No.2 leader on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, and that she appreciated "China's willingness to engage with us in a spirit of mutual understanding."



"Europe's concerns regarding export controls, market access, and overcapacity are well-known," she said.



China and the EU have spent the past two years on the brink of a trade war, which most analysts trace back to the European Commission's 2023 decision to open an anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese-made electric vehicles, setting off probes into EU brandy, dairy, pork and other goods.



But with Trump's trade policy squeezing both Chinese and European exports, Beijing and Brussels have had reason to seek a rapprochement.