EU-China trade talks in Beijing: Šefčovič meets Wang Wentao
Why it matters
Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič and Commerce Minister Wang Wentao hold the second meeting of the EU-China Trade and Investment Consultations, the ministerial talks the two sides set up in Brussels on 29 June. Šefčovič said then that the talks had to show results by October. The EU buys about €1 billion a day more from China than it sells there. It wants China to hold back exports to Europe, open its market to European firms and keep rare earths flowing. Šefčovič has said that without a result the EU would turn to other instruments, meaning trade defence. Days before the meeting China opened an anti-dumping investigation into a chemical imported from the EU. EU leaders meet a week later, on 15-16 October.
What to watch
- Whether the two sides publish a joint statement, and whether it holds commitments with numbers or dates.
- Any Chinese commitment to limit exports to the EU or to give European firms more access to its market.
- Whether China agrees to extend the truce on rare earth export controls.
- How Šefčovič describes the result. He reports to EU ambassadors on 11 October, and leaders meet on 15-16 October.
Sources
- Commission: Joint press statement by Commissioner Šefčovič and Minister Wang (29 June 2026)
- Euronews: Brussels seeks ‘credible’ outcome in EU-China talks after key negotiators’ call (17 September 2026)
- Euronews: China opens anti-dumping probe into EU days before Beijing trade talks (3 October 2026)
- Finbarr Bermingham on Bluesky: two weeks of EU-China dates (5 October 2026)
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