China Pushes Back Against EU Criticism of Trade Imbalance

One day after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told AFP that the bloc won't "tolerate" a trade imbalance with China, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said China has never sought a trade surplus with Europe and pushed back on the notion that the trading relationship has hurt the EU.

"Although China appears to have the trade surplus, in fact, the EU has reaped considerable profits," the spokesperson said, adding that China "is a reliable and indispensable partner for the EU." The spokesperson also said the EU shouldn't expect to increase exports to China while also setting export restrictions on high-tech products destined to the country.