EU and China to hold two-day talks in Beijing aiming to avert trade war

Brussels, Belgium – EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic will head to Beijing on Thursday for two days of make-or-break meetings with Chinese officials to try to stave off a trade war. The European Union has toughened its stance towards Beijing to defend businesses against what it believes is unfair competition in critical sectors including cars. Increasingly, European leaders and observers warn of a “China Shock 2.0,” used to describe Chinese firms’ shift into more high-tech manufacturing, which is threatening many traditional EU industries.