Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has urged European leaders to abandon bloc politics and instead “join the gym” of the China market to build muscle and competitiveness. Speaking to the press in Beijing on the sidelines of the “two sessions”, Wang characterized China-Europe economic and trade ties as complementary, saying that “a dynamic balance is entirely within reach amid growing ties”. “Building fences and barriers will only lead to self-isolation,” he cautioned. “We would be happy to see our European friends step out of the protectionist ‘attic’ and come to the ‘gym’ of the Chinese market, where they can build up their muscles and boost their competitiveness.” Wang added that China-EU “interdependence is not a risk, intertwined interests are not threats, openness and cooperation will not weaken economic security”. China’s trade with the European Union (EU) reached CNY5.93 trillion in 2025, up 6% from the previous year.
Wang’s remarks sought to respond to calls by the European Union – and some individual member states – that Beijing address the large trade deficit in its favor while ensuring a level playing field and reciprocal market access. The EU has in recent years expanded its toolbox and legislation to shield its industries and reduce reliance on China for critical supply chains. Yet it remains hamstrung by declining competitiveness against China’s rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI), new energy batteries and electric vehicles (EVs). Meanwhile, member states such as Germany and Spain have taken steps to tap China’s market potential while seeking cooperation on the green transition and electric vehicles.
European leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, have visited China in recent months. Some analysts said that Wang’s optimistic summary of these “successive visits” reflected a strategic focus on national capitals rather than the EU’s central bureaucracy. Ding Chun, Director of the Center for European Studies at Shanghai’s Fudan University, said the metaphors used by Wang reflected Beijing’s belief that open competition ultimately strengthened economic capabilities. “Markets are like a gym,” he said. “If you can survive there, your abilities improve.” He said Beijing sought to prevent strategic competition from derailing the relationship. “The point is that competition should not become the central issue in China-EU relations,” Ding said, noting that Beijing preferred to emphasize complementarity and mutual benefit. Wang described Europe as “a natural pole in the multipolar pattern, an important force for upholding the international order, and a key partner in pursuing Chinese modernization”. He also urged Europe to form “a correct perception of China”, saying this was the key to stable and sound relations, the South China Morning Post reports.
