French President Emmanuel Macron says he has warned China that the European Union could impose tariffs if Beijing does not act to narrow its large trade surplus with the bloc.

This was disclosed by Macron in a statement
on Sunday.

“I told them that if they don’t react, we Europeans will be forced to take strong measures in the coming months,” Macron told business daily Les Echos after returning from a state visit to China.

He said such measures could mirror actions taken by the United States, “including tariffs on Chinese goods, for example.”

The EU’s trade deficit with China, the world’s second-largest economy after the United States, topped 300 billion euros ($350 billion) in 2024, according to Les Echos.

Trade policy, including tariffs, is set collectively by the 27-member European Union, with the European Commission acting on their behalf.

Macron, whose country is the EU’s second-largest economy after Germany, admitted it remains difficult to build consensus within the bloc on possible China tariffs.

Germany, with its deep commercial ties to China, “is not yet fully aligned with our position,” he said.

Recall the U.S. under President Donald Trump imposed tariffs of 57 per cent on Chinese goods earlier this year, later reduced to 47 per cent under an agreement reached in October.

“China wants to pierce the heart of the European industrial and innovation model, which has been historically based on machine tools and the automobile,” Macron said.

Macron added that U.S. protectionist measures have worsened the EU’s situation, as China is now “massively” diverting goods originally destined for the American market into Europe.

“We are caught in the middle today,” Macron said. “This is a question of life and death for European industry.”