China warns EU against market-closure threats as trade talks continue
( September 3, 2026, 08:47 GMT | Official Statement) -- MLex Summary: China has warned the EU against threatening to close its market if bilateral trade talks fail, saying negotiations should address the concerns of both sides on an equal footing. Chinese Ministry of Commerce spokesperson Huang Ling said at a regular press briefing on Thursday that officials had held “in-depth, candid and constructive” talks with visiting European Commission Deputy Director-General for Trade Denis Redonnet from Monday to Wednesday. The ministry was responding to a media inquiry about comments by EU trade chief Maroš Šefčovič that the bloc could make full use of trade-defense tools and close its market if negotiations with China fail. China said the EU shouldn’t make unilateral demands or use market closure as a threat, and urged the bloc to avoid protectionism and uphold a rules-based multilateral trading system.Excerpt of the transcript follows (in Chinese)....
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