Šefčovič faces diplomatic dead end in Beijing trade talks

The two-day visit with commerce secretary Wang Wentao concludes Friday, yet expectations for a breakthrough remain dismal ahead of next week’s Brussels summit. While Šefčovič continues to push for improved market access and bolstered economic security, three months of formal work streams have yielded no tangible progress toward resolving the multi-layered dispute.

Market data underscores the difficulty of the commissioner's position. Despite the European Union imposing additional tariffs ranging from 17 to 36 percent on Chinese electric vehicles in October 2024, the influx of imports continues unabated. According to Schmidt Automotive Research, Chinese-made vehicles accounted for 14 percent of European EV sales this year, a sharp increase from 9.4 percent in the previous period.