The EU vs China: it’s complicated. With Bernd Lange
Is it wise for the bloc to be picking a trade fight with Beijing?
Is it wise for the bloc to be picking a trade fight with Beijing? Your browser does not support playing this file but you can still download the MP3 file to play locally. Europe has a China problem. Every single day, Europe buys a billion euros’ worth more stuff from China than it sells back. And the EU wants to stand up to Beijing over surging exports, which are challenging European industry.
But China is also a vital market for European businesses and a crucial supplier of goods and raw materials. So how do you pick a trade fight with a country you depend on? Host Soumaya Keynes speaks to Bernd Lange, the German MEP who chairs the European parliament’s international trade committee, about what Brussels can do to level the playing field with China. Plus, with President Donald Trump rewriting the rules of global trade, how can the EU ensure the US plays fair too? Presented by Soumaya Keynes.
Produced by Katya Kumkova. Original music by Breen Turner, sound design by Sean Mc Garrity. Manuela Saragosa is the executive producer. Flo Phillips is the FT’s head of audio.
⚡ Effects Interpreter
🌍World Economy
- ▶Manufacturing hubs overseas may adjust output if demand signals change.
- ▶Forecasters typically revise their outlook when data like this lands.
🏙️Local Economy
- ▶Modest business owners nearby may quietly rework their margins.
- ▶Household bills may drift in step with the bigger economic picture.
🏦Rates & Banks
- ▶Financial markets sometimes overreact to rate speculation before banks even respond.
- ▶The cost of borrowing tends to shift gradually rather than in one leap.
❤️Health
- ▶A story like this can linger in the back of people's minds for a while.
- ▶Public health messaging can go a long way toward easing collective worry.
💷Wealth
- ▶A brief dip in value is not the same as a permanent loss.
- ▶Nest eggs can wobble briefly before finding their footing again.
🏠Housing
- ▶Estate agents usually say the market takes weeks to catch up with news.
- ▶First-time buyers might keep half an eye on mortgage rates after this.