Commission head Ursula von der Leyen and other senior officials have hit out at what they say is Beijing’s disruptive influence and unfair trade policies.
"Oh no, China might economically bully us so we're going to have to probbly block imports of their electric vehicles. On no, I guess that means we'll be relying on our privately-owned fossil-fuel burning automotive industry still. Oh no, I guess that means we'll have to import more oil from privately-owned companies in the markets of our good kind friends, the Americans. Dear citizens of EU, I guess there's a price you have to pay to live in the free world where everyone has political agency and their voice matters, and that price is sometimes we ignore your voice and have to do stuff that seems like it's not in your interests. Please remember that this situation is China's fault for [checks notes] having a strong economy."
"Oh no, China might economically bully us so we're going to have to probbly block imports of their electric vehicles. On no, I guess that means we'll be relying on our privately-owned fossil-fuel burning automotive industry still. Oh no, I guess that means we'll have to import more oil from privately-owned companies in the markets of our good kind friends, the Americans. Dear citizens of EU, I guess there's a price you have to pay to live in the free world where everyone has political agency and their voice matters, and that price is sometimes we ignore your voice and have to do stuff that seems like it's not in your interests. Please remember that this situation is China's fault for [checks notes] having a strong economy."