Trade and Economic Relations with China - 2013

Analyse approfondie 23-04-2013

China was able to resist to the global economic downturn in 2012, continuing its unprecedented growth at a pace only slightly lower than that registered in before the crisis. China adopted stimulus measures to sustain its economy during the recession, but these also faced some setbacks. While Inflation has been kept at bay, the risk of a real estate bubble and of a general overheating of the economy remains a matter of concern for the new government, in place only since March 2013. Despite some liberalisations, Beijing's command of many sectors of the economy remains strong, and access to its domestic markets not always easy for foreign operators. The EU's trade and economic relations with China are generally good, and the number of disputes remains within reasonable ceilings. However, the EU is dissatisfied with China's reluctance to fully implement its WTO commitments and, more generally, with protectionist measures that affect EU interests. For its part, Beijing is still dissatisfied with the EU's refusal to grant the country 'market economy' status and has criticised the opening of a major anti-dumping and countervailing duty case on solar panels. Negotiations for an EU-China partnership and cooperation agreement, initiated in 2007, have still not been concluded. In September 2012, China and the EU agreed to open negotiations for a bilateral investment agreement; these should begin in the coming months.