EU wants to boost agricultural exports to China amid rising trade tensions – Firstpost

During his visit to China this week, EU Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski emphasized his focus on increasing agricultural exports to China, while protecting the food sector from escalating tensions in China-EU trade relations.

Wojciechowski highlighted the absence of barriers to Chinese imports in the food trade during an interview on Monday in Shanghai, expressing his intention to prevent agriculture from bearing the brunt of problems affecting other sectors.

Amid concerns about a possible trade war between China and Europe, Jens Eskelund, president of the European Chamber in China, described the situation as a “train wreck in slow motion.” However, the EU agri-food sector maintains an export surplus in trade with China, setting it apart from other sectors facing challenges.

Unlike sectors such as solar panels or new energy vehicles (NEVs), food trade remains crucial for ensuring global food security. As a result, Western sanctions imposed on Russia following its actions in Ukraine did not extend to agri-food products.

Wojciechowski’s visit underlines efforts to strengthen trade ties and mitigate the impact of broader trade tensions on the agricultural sector, emphasizing the importance of maintaining open and cooperative trade relations in food.

Last year, EU exports to China amounted to 14.6 billion euros ($15.57 billion), down 8% compared to 2022, while imports from China to the EU fell 15% to 8.3 billion euros .

Wojciechowski said there is room for growth in EU exports to China in a range of agri-food sectors, from poultry to pork, beef and even dairy, a segment that is already relatively advanced in terms of penetration in China.

“We can see the increase in middle-class consumers looking for good, high-quality food. This is an opportunity for European Food to increase our exports,” he said.

With input from Reuters

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