France and Germany urge EU to strengthen trade defence measures; Beijing urges adherence to free trade
France and Germany have submitted an informal paper urging the EU to toughen trade defence tools. Beijing responded by calling on both countries to uphold free trade and WTO rules, warning against protectionism and the politicisation of economic issues.
France and Germany have submitted an informal document to the European Commission calling for the EU to strengthen its use of trade defence measures and introduce new protectionist tools, according to a report by Hong Kong's Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) on 6 October 2026.
In Beijing, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce responded by expressing hope that France and Germany, as major global economies, would uphold openness, cooperation and free trade, abide by World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, and refrain from urging the EU to resort to protectionist tools. The spokesperson also warned against politicising or securitising economic and trade issues, and cautioned against taking the wrong path in a mistaken way that could ultimately backfire.
The Chinese side stressed that interdependence is not a risk, that interwoven interests are not a threat, and that open cooperation is the right path for development. The spokesperson added that protectionism does not enhance competitiveness, and that decoupling or severing supply chains would harm all parties involved.
The informal paper from France and Germany comes amid ongoing tensions over trade imbalances and market access between the EU and China. The European Commission has previously launched investigations into Chinese subsidies and considered new trade defence instruments.
China has consistently advocated for multilateral solutions and adherence to WTO frameworks, rejecting what it sees as unilateral protectionist measures that could disrupt global supply chains.