French President Emmanuel Macron has raised the possibility of imposing countermeasures against China if Beijing does not adjust its current trade policies.
In an interview with the French daily Les Echos, following a three-day visit to China, Macron warned that the current trade imbalance is unsustainable.
“I am trying to make it clear to China that its trade surplus is not sustainable, and that the country is effectively undermining its own consumers by not importing more from us,” Macron said.
He added that if China fails to respond, Europe may be forced to take strong measures in the coming months:
“I told them that if they do not respond, we Europeans will be compelled to take strong actions and reduce the level of cooperation, following the example of the United States, by introducing tariffs on Chinese products.”
China is France’s most important trading partner in Asia. However, France continues to face a significant trade deficit with China, where imports far exceed exports. In 2024, the deficit reached over €46 billion. For the European Union as a whole, the trade deficit with China exceeds €300 billion.
Weak Chinese demand remains a major challenge for German, French and other EU companies, while China continues to export large volumes of goods to the European market — a trend intensified by its trade dispute with the United States.
Macron said the U.S.–China trade conflict has left Europe “caught in the middle,” exposing European industries to serious risks.
“We have become an adjustment market, and this is the worst-case scenario,” he warned.
The French president urged China to consume more foreign goods and open its domestic market:
“Chinese companies must come to Europe just as EDF and Airbus did 25 years ago when they established a presence in China to build their own sales markets. We know they excel in certain fields, but we cannot import indefinitely,” Macron said.
According to Les Echos, Macron was referring in particular to sectors such as batteries, electric vehicles, and lithium processing.
He also stressed that Chinese investments in Europe must not be predatory, and that Beijing should avoid creating structural dependencies.
At the same time, Macron emphasized that Europe must increase its own competitiveness, invest in innovation, and strengthen the single market.
