GLOBAL ECONOMY
EU calls on China to act on global trade champion commitment
Singapore — Chinese President Xi Jinping needs to follow his words of support for free trade and globalisation with action, says the EU’s trade chief. "The whole world would hope that China could take a little more of global leadership on these issues, it would be important for the whole world," EU trade commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said on Wednesday in an interview with Bloomberg Television in Singapore. "We hope very much they would pursue the reforms they have intended and announced." While China has clashed with Europe over issues including its shipments of steel and export restrictions on raw materials, the protectionism of US President Donald Trump and the recent championing of free trade by Xi potentially presents the EU with an opportunity in Asia. The bloc is grappling with challenges such as the UK’s planned departure from the EU, the demise of talks with Washington on a free-trade pact, Russian meddling in Eastern Europe and surging populism. Xi is advocating for the in...
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