French President Emmanuel Macron made a sharp statement warning China about the possible introduction of tariffs by the European Union if Beijing does not take measures to reduce the EU’s growing trade deficit. Macron said this in an interview with the French business newspaper Les Echos immediately after completing his state visit to China. This statement highlights the growing tension in trade relations between Europe and the world’s second-largest economy, where the EU finds itself caught between US protectionism and Chinese export pressure.
The European Union’s trade deficit with China has reached unprecedented levels: according to Les Echos, it exceeded €300 billion (about $350 billion) in 2024. Since 2019, this figure has grown by almost 60%, and France’s balance with the Chinese economy, estimated at $19 trillion, continues to deteriorate. Macron has directly accused China of “killing its own customers” with its policies, as Beijing has sharply reduced imports from Europe while flooding the market with Chinese goods.
“I tried to explain to the Chinese that their trade surplus is unbearable because they are destroying their own customers, especially by no longer importing from us,” Macron is quoted as saying. He stressed that European industry is in a “deadly trap”: on the one hand, there is the protectionist policy of US President Donald Trump, and on the other, there is Chinese expansion, which is hitting key sectors such as machine tool manufacturing and automotive manufacturing. “Today, we are caught between them, and this is a matter of life and death for European industry,” the French leader added.
Macron’s statement comes amid escalating trade tensions between the US and China. The Trump administration imposed tariffs of 57% on Chinese goods this year, later reduced to 47% as part of an October deal. According to the French president, such US policy is “inappropriate” and exacerbates Europe’s situation: China is redirecting goods intended for the US market to the EU, making it a “market of adjustment.” “We have become victims of this situation in the worst-case scenario,” Macron stressed.
Analysts warn that further growth in China’s surplus could undermine European industry and innovation. At the same time, Macron is proposing a “conciliatory approach”: the EU is ready to lift restrictions on exports of European semiconductor manufacturing equipment if China limits exports of rare earth metals and increases investment in Europe. “Europe must — and wants to — remain an area of monetary stability and reliable investment,” he said, calling on the European Central Bank to take into account not only inflation but also growth and employment.
The threat of tariffs is not a bluff, but it does not mean a break in relations. Macron emphasizes that he still believes in a negotiated solution: during his visit, he called on China to increase direct investment in the EU in order to balance trade. However, if Beijing does not respond, Europe may follow Washington’s example, triggering a new wave of retaliation. Experts note that such an escalation would hit global supply chains, especially in the high-tech and green energy sectors.
Ultimately, Macron’s statement signals a strategic shift: Europe no longer wants to be China’s “soft” partner. The question is whether Beijing will hear this signal in a timely manner, or whether the world will see new trade barriers that will change the landscape of the global economy.