European official warns of alarming rise in EU imports from China

Brussels, Jan 10 (KUNA) – Denis Redon, the European Commission’s top trade enforcement official, warned on Thursday that about a quarter of the European Union’s imports are experiencing “alarming” growth rates, driven primarily by goods from China. Speaking before the European Parliament’s Trade Committee, Redon said that several sectors are witnessing sustained and unusual import growth, including machinery, textiles, basic metals, and chemicals. He added that results from the EU’s import monitoring system reveal “trends that may be concerning for about a quarter of total EU imports at present,” emphasizing that “China and Chinese-origin goods are the main drivers of these import increases.” He noted that EU imports from China have risen, while EU exports to the Chinese market have fallen by roughly the same rate, as Brussels seeks to reach an understanding this month on managing Chinese exports. The European official explained that the surge in Chinese exports has led to a sharp rise in requests from European industrial sectors for trade defense measures. (End) A.R.N. / M.A.A.