Italy's Meloni calls for balanced EU-China trade in Xi meeting
Business
Italy's Meloni calls for balanced EU-China trade in Xi meeting
BEIJING (Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday that the euro zone's third-biggest economy plays an important role in China's relations with the EU, as she sought to relaunch her country's economic ties with Beijing.
Meloni was speaking at a meeting with President Xi on a visit to the Chinese capital after Italy exited Xi's flagship Belt and Road Initiative last year and amid deteriorating trade ties between the bloc and the world's second-largest economy.
The Italian leader told her host "Italy can... play an important role in relations with the European Union," as they met at Beijing's Diaoyutai State Guest House.
Meloni then told Xi that she hoped to "create trade relations that are as balanced as possible."
EU trade policy has turned increasingly protective over concerns that China's production-focused development model could see it flooded with cheap goods as Chinese firms look to step up exports amid weak domestic demand.
The European Commission this month confirmed it would impose preliminary tariffs of up to 37.6% on imports of electric vehicles made in China, ratcheting up tensions with Beijing.
Chinese officials have warned of a possible trade war, should Brussels not back down and continue to probe other parts of its $18.6 trillion economy.
Beijing is also lobbying EU member states to oppose more tariffs on Chinese-built EVs in an October vote, although Italy, Spain and France have indicated they would back the tariffs.
