German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called for fair trade competition with China while urging the European Union not to pursue protectionist policies against Beijing. The EU has been considering imposing tariffs over concerns about dumping and overproduction of Chinese goods in European markets.

Scholz is on a three-day visit to China. He is expected to meet President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Tuesday before wrapping up his second visit to China since taking office in 2021.

Beijing is expected to urge Berlin not to support EU measures to stem the flow of Chinese-made cars and wind and solar equipment into Europe, Reuters reported.

“At some point there will also be Chinese cars in Germany and Europe. The only thing that must always be clear is that competition must It’s fair,” Scholz told students at Tongji University in Shanghai.

He also said, “In other words, there is no dumping… there is no overproduction.” [and] …The copyright was not infringed. ”

As of 2023, China has become Germany’s largest trading partner for eight consecutive years.

In December, EU leaders urged China to address its trade imbalance with Europe. In 2022, the EU’s trade deficit with China will reach US$426 billion, exceeding any previous year. The EU also urged China to press Russia to end its war in neighboring Ukraine.

More than two years after Russia invaded Ukraine, Scholz is expected to question Beijing’s close economic ties with Moscow. Xi Jinping has long denied favoring the Kremlin.

Berlin is also concerned about the possibility of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. Scholz did not name China directly but said the border “must not be moved by force” and “we should not be afraid of our neighbours”.

China considers self-ruled Taiwan a willful province and has not ruled out using force to unify it with the mainland.

Scholz’s arrival in China on Sunday was overshadowed by Iran’s attacks on Israel. Almost all of the more than 300 missiles and drones launched by Iran and its proxies were intercepted by Israel and its allies.

The attack heightened fears of conflict in the wider region. Scholz joined other Western leaders in warning Iran against another attack and urging Israel not to retaliate.

Some of the information in this report comes from Reuters and the Associated Press.