China criticizes EU proposal for European version of Section 301 trade tool

China's Ministry of Commerce has responded to reports that certain European Union member states are pushing the European Commission to develop a European version of the ‘Section 301’ trade tool to implement tougher measures against China.

A spokesperson for the Ministry characterized the proposed tool as a typical measure of protectionism and unilateralism. The spokesperson stated that such actions would not only fail to solve existing issues but could also backfire, disrupting China-EU trade and the stability of global industrial and supply chains.

The Ministry further warned that if the EU pursues these measures while simultaneously engaging in trade and investment dialogues with China, it would severely damage mutual trust and interfere with the overall progress of economic cooperation. China urged the EU to manage differences through dialogue and stated it would respond firmly to any discriminatory restrictions against Chinese enterprises or products to defend its industrial rights.