Beijing says China-EU trade talks will become regular ministerial meetings

China's Commerce Ministry said China and the European Union will hold ministerial-level trade talks once or twice a year under a new consultation mechanism, formalizing a process both sides hope can reduce tensions over trade imbalances and market access.

The ministry said EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič has been invited to visit China in the autumn. AP reported that the invitation followed Šefčovič's meeting with Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao in Brussels on Monday, June 30, and that Šefčovič said afterward he would travel to Beijing in the fall.

The announcement comes as the EU and China try to manage a trade relationship that has become increasingly strained. The bloc's trade deficit with China was about €360 billion, or roughly $410 billion, last year, according to AP and The Guardian.

Brussels talks, then a new mechanism

The Guardian reported that the EU and China agreed to three months of trade talks, with the first formal consultations in seven years, focused on trade rebalancing, export controls, intellectual property, and WTO reform.

AP later reported that Beijing said the dialogue would now become a regular ministerial process, giving the talks a more formal structure than earlier discussions.

The two sides have said they want to work on trade rebalancing and cooperation in areas including artificial intelligence and renewable energy. Chinese officials have also urged Brussels to create a fairer, nondiscriminatory business climate.

What comes next

The most immediate next step is Šefčovič's planned trip to Beijing in the fall. The Guardian reported that the consultations are set to run through October, with Šefčovič seeking tangible results by then.

The new schedule comes while the EU is also tightening some trade defenses. AP reported that new EU steel protections and e-commerce parcel limits took effect on July 2, adding pressure to the talks.

Whether the new mechanism produces concrete concessions, or simply keeps channels open while broader trade disputes continue, is likely to become clearer in the months ahead.