During his visit to China, EU Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski emphasized the EU’s focus on increasing agri-food exports to China while seeking to shield the food sector from escalating trade tensions between China and the EU. Wojciechowski stressed that the food trade with China currently faces no barriers for imports, and he aims to prevent the agricultural sector from bearing the brunt of trade disputes in other sectors.
Amid concerns of rising protectionism potentially leading to a full-blown trade war between China and Europe, the EU’s agri-food sector maintains an export surplus in its trade with China, distinguishing it from sectors like solar panels and new energy vehicles. The open trade of food is viewed as a crucial instrument for ensuring food security, which is why Western sanctions imposed on Russia following its actions in Ukraine did not extend to agri-food products, according to Wojciechowski.
Despite a decline in the EU’s exports to China and imports from China in the previous year, there is optimism regarding the potential for growth in agri-food exports from the EU to China across various sectors, including poultry, pork, beef, and dairy. Wojciechowski highlighted the increasing demand from China’s expanding middle class for high-quality food, presenting an opportunity for European food exports to thrive in the Chinese market.