彭刚公使在欧媒发表署名文章《贸易平衡不是唯一，互利共赢才是关键》

中国驻欧盟使团 2024-06-27

2024年4月25日，中国驻欧盟使团彭刚公使在欧洲知名媒体“布鲁塞尔纵横”发表题为《贸易平衡不是唯一，互利共赢才是关键》的署名文章。全文如下：

欧盟与中国互为重要贸易伙伴，双边经贸关系具有战略意义和全球影响力。欧盟秉持“贸易立盟”政策，是自由开放贸易的积极倡导者和受益方。中国坚持改革开放和积极参与经济全球化，是经济全球化和世贸规则的受益者和坚定拥护者。2023年，中欧双边贸易额高达7830亿美元，平均每分钟贸易往来接近150万美元；中欧班列全年开行1.7万列，发送货物190万标箱，比2022年分别增长6%和18%。双边贸易为载体带动了中欧人员、技术、资本流动，不仅促进了物品互通有无，为双方经济发展注入活力和动能，也巩固双方产业发展，促进生产率提升，为改善双方人民生活带来更多福祉。

欧盟对中国2022年贸易逆差高于以往，由此引发一些人对中欧贸易互利互惠的质疑。实际上，从宏观经济环境来看，2022年是极为特殊的一年，乌克兰危机、新冠疫情等因素对贸易影响较大，全球通胀、产供链受阻、内外需求变化等对贸易也有影响，当年欧盟对华贸易逆差的有关数据不具有代表性。从欧方最新统计数据来看，2023年欧盟对华贸易逆差已经下降了27%。

其次，贸易数据并不能完全反映全球产业链供应链深度融合下中欧贸易的利益分配格局。在华欧企超三分之一的出口返销欧洲，表面上看中国拥有贸易顺差，但实际上相当一部分利润是欧方享有的，这也是中国市场不断扩大开放的结果。很多欧企近几年逐步增加在华生产的规模与强度，更强调本土化生产以服务中国市场需求，这也在一定程度上取代了欧洲部分商品对华出口。

因此，贸易顺差或逆差是宏观经济环境、国际贸易条件、双方产业结构共同作用的结果，要用发展的眼光、辩证的眼光看待问题，不能简单地将贸易不平衡的责任推给某一方或归咎于市场准入问题。近年来，中国制造的国际竞争力不断增强，质优价惠的中国产品有效满足了欧洲等世界各国市场需求，也助力了欧洲的绿色发展，这是双方企业正常市场运作和国际分工合作的客观结果，也是各国消费者做出的自主选择，不应人为限制和过多干预。

实际上，有的国家近年来以贸易逆差为由对中国产品设置了高关税贸易壁垒，结果反而适得其反，不仅加重了本国消费者的负担，也未能缓解其贸易不平衡的问题。欧盟长期以来限制对华高科技产品出口，这些产品价值高，比如5台阿斯麦极紫外光刻机就相当于2022年欧盟对华葡萄酒出口总额。如果欧盟继续对高技术产品出口设限，只会加剧贸易不平衡。

中国从不刻意追求贸易顺差，主动举办国际进口博览会，这是迄今为止世界上第一个以进口为主题的国家级展会，充分展现了中国开放的大门只会越开越大的坚定承诺。中国始终从战略高度看待中欧合作，前不久解禁比利时猪肉进口，同意解除对德国牛肉、苹果输华限制，并对法、德、意、比、卢等欧洲多国提供单方面免签待遇，中欧经贸往来更加便利。中方愿进口更多适销对路的欧盟产品，也希望欧盟放宽高技术产品对华出口限制，推动双方贸易更加平衡发展。

Trade Imbalance Doesn’t Tell the Whole Story While Mutual Benefit Holds the Key to Bilateral Trade

As important trade partners to each other, China-EU bilateral trade and economic ties enjoy strategic significance and global influence. China and the EU share a lot in common. Upholding a policy of trade alliances, the EU remains an active advocate and beneficiary of free and open trade. China is committed to reform and opening-up, actively participates in economic globalization, and remains a beneficiary and firm advocate of economic globalization and WTO rules.In 2023, bilateral trade between China and the EU reached 783 billion US dollars, with a volume nearly 1.5 million US dollars every minute. The China-Europe Railway Express operated 17,000 trips throughout the year, transporting 1.9 million standard containers, up by 6% and 18% year-on-year respectively. Bilateral trade drove the flow of personnel, technology, and capital between China and Europe, which not only facilitated the exchange of goods and brought vitality to both economies, but also strengthened industrial development, improved productivity, and brought greater benefits to our people.In 2022, EU's trade deficit with China was higher than before, which caused some to question the mutual benefit essence of China-EU bilateral trade. Here I would like to share some facts about it.Firstly, 2022 witnessed an exceptionally unusual macro-economic environment. Occurrences such as the Ukraine crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic had substantial impacts on trade. Global inflation, disruptions in industrial and supply chains, and changes in domestic and international demand also explained much variation in trade. It is fair to say that EU's trade deficit with China in 2022 lacks representativeness. According to the latest data from the Eurostat, EU's trade deficit with China dropped by 27% in 2023.Secondly, in light of the deep integration of global industrial and supply chains, trade statistics does not fully reflect the profit distribution in China-EU trade. In fact, over one-third of export from EU companies in China was sold to the EU. Although China appears to have the trade surplus, in reality, the EU has reaped considerable profits from it. Many European companies have gradually enhanced their business in China and further localized production to cater to the Chinese consumers, which has replaced part of Europe’s export to China. As a matter of fact, trade surplus or deficit is a result under the combined influence of macro-economic environment, international trade conditions, and the industrial structures of the two sides, which should be viewed from a developmental and dialectical perspective, rather than simply attributing it to one side or the market access issues.Over the past years, China's manufacturing sector has continuously gained competitive strength internationally. Chinese products with high quality and affordable prices have met the needs of both Europe and other markets, and have contributed to Europe’s green development. It is a natural result of market operations by companies from both sides and the international division of labor. It is also an independent choice made by consumers, which should not be artificially restricted or interfered with too much.In practice, some countries have imposed high tariffs and trade barriers on Chinese products on the pretext of trade deficit but often backfired. Their actions only burdened their own consumers without effectively addressing trade imbalance. As to China-EU bilateral trade, the EU has long restricted the export of high-tech products to China, and usually these products are of high value. For example, the value of five ASML extreme ultra-violet lithography machines equals the total value of wine exported from the EU to China in the whole year of 2022. If the EU continues to impose export restrictions on high-tech products, it will only exacerbate trade imbalance.China has never deliberately sought trade surplus. Instead, to address its trade partners’ concerns over trade imbalance, China has hosted the China International Import Expo for six consecutive years, which is the world’s first national-level exhibition themed on import. The Expo is also one of China’s practical actions to fulfill its commitment to opening-up. China always views China-EU cooperation from a strategic perspective. Not long ago, China lifted the ban on Belgian pork imports, agreed to lift restrictions on beef and apple imports from Germany, and granted unilateral visa-free treatment to France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg and many other European countries, facilitating trade and economic exchanges between China and Europe.Looking ahead, China stands ready to import more products from the EU that align with its market demand, and hopes the EU will relax export restrictions on high-tech products to China as well, so as to jointly push for more balanced development in bilateral trade.

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