China warns France, Germany against ‘protectionist’ trade tools

China cautioned France and Germany on Tuesday not to employ "protectionist" trade tactics, following an appeal from their leaders to the European Union to establish a legal framework for potential trade disputes. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz penned a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, expressing the necessity of a dependable mechanism for quick and decisive action, including the potential exclusion from the European single market if required.

The letter, disclosed by AFP on Monday, did not explicitly mention China but emerged just days before EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic visits Beijing to address trade disagreements. China’s commerce ministry responded on Tuesday, urging France and Germany to "avoid encouraging the EU to resort to protectionist tools at every turn."

The ministry emphasized the importance of openness, cooperation, and free trade, cautioning that such a path could lead to detrimental consequences. In a separate statement, China's Ministry of Commerce reiterated that the economic and trade relationship between China and the EU is mutually beneficial and urged the EU to collaborate in resolving concerns through dialogue and consultation to preserve global industrial and supply chain stability.