EU commissioner calls for more balanced trade with China and warns that Ukraine could divide them

By KEN MORITSUGU
Associated Press

BEIJING (AP) — The European Union’s trade commissioner has called for a more balanced relationship with China, noting an EU trade deficit of nearly 400 billion euros ($425 billion). He also warned in a speech on Monday to a university audience in Beijing that China’s position on the war in Ukraine could endanger its relationship with Europe. Valdis Dombrovskis is in China to co-chair high-level economic and trade talks on Monday with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng. EU leaders have expressed concern about the bloc’s growing trade deficit with China, which reached 396 billion euros last year.