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Denmark's PM calls for firm EU response to China's trade practices
🇩🇰 Denmark /Economy & Trade

Denmark's PM calls for firm EU response to China's trade practices

From Berlingske · () Danish

Translated from Danish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called for a firm EU response to China's trade and technology practices, including its support for Russia.
  • Frederiksen stated that the EU must be prepared to "strike back" against entities threatening its industries and interests.
  • The EU is considering new strategies and trade tools, such as tariffs and import quotas, to counter what it views as unfair competition from China.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has joined a chorus of critical voices regarding the European Union's relationship with China. Speaking ahead of an EU summit in Brussels, Frederiksen emphasized the need for a robust European response to China's aggressive use of state subsidies that threaten to outcompete European businesses.

China is a different China than it used to be. There is a clear struggle in terms of trade and technology, and a desire to outcompete some of the European industries, while China directly supports Russia in an aggressive war in Europe.

— Mette FrederiksenDanish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen describing the current challenges posed by China.

"China is a different China than it used to be," Frederiksen stated. "There is a clear struggle in terms of trade and technology, and a desire to outcompete some of the European industries, while China directly supports Russia in an aggressive war in Europe." She asserted that this reality must shape the EU's China policy.

If anyone threatens us, my stance is usually the same: namely, that one must dare to strike back.

— Mette FrederiksenDanish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on how the EU should respond to threats.

The EU summit agenda includes discussions on a new strategy toward China, potentially involving new trade tools beyond the existing anti-coercion instrument. This push is expected to influence European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's upcoming address to the EU Parliament. Von der Leyen is anticipated to present a stricter line on China, but requires the backing of EU member states.

very firm

— Dan JørgensenDanish EU Commissioner Dan Jørgensen on the EU's necessary approach to China.

Frederiksen expressed strong Danish support for such measures. "If anyone threatens us, my stance is usually the same: namely, that one must dare to strike back," she said, extending this principle to relations with China. This stance follows a recent EU Commission meeting where Danish EU Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Dan Jørgensen, called for Europe to be "very firm" and "tighten up" its approach to China, aiming to avoid dependency issues.

tighten up

— Dan JørgensenDanish EU Commissioner Dan Jørgensen on the EU's necessary approach to China.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Berlingske in Danish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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