French President Emmanuel Macron has threatened to impose tariffs on China in the “coming months” if Beijing does not take concrete measures to reduce the growing trade deficit with the European Union.
In an interview with the French daily Les Échos after returning from an official visit to China, Macron said he had informed Chinese officials that if no meaningful action is taken, “Europeans will have to adopt strong measures similar to those of the United States, such as imposing tariffs on Chinese products.”
The United States already imposes high tariffs on Chinese goods, and these tariffs were recently reduced from 57% to 47% under an agreement announced in late October between Washington and Beijing.
Impact of U.S. Policy
Macron explained that China is increasingly targeting the core of the European industrial and innovation model, which has historically relied on machinery and automotive manufacturing. He added that the protectionist policies pursued by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration are worsening the situation by redirecting a large share of Chinese exports toward European markets. This, he said, leaves Europe “caught between both sides,” stressing that the issue has become “a matter of life or death for European industry.”
During his visit to China, Macron emphasized that Europe must attract more Chinese investments in order to reduce its trade deficit. He told Les Échos: “We cannot continue importing endlessly. Chinese companies need to come and invest in Europe.”
Macron pointed to roughly ten strategic sectors where Chinese investment is needed, including:
batteries, lithium refining, wind energy, solar energy, electric vehicles, air-source heat pumps, consumer electronics, recycling technologies, industrial robotics, and advanced components.
He stressed that Chinese investments in Europe “must not be exploitative,” meaning they should not aim to create dependence or establish dominance.
According to Bloomberg, Macron also expressed support for a “European preference” in the electric vehicle market within the EU, as Brussels prepares new proposals for the automotive sector. From Chengdu, he reiterated that protecting Europe’s industrial base has become an economic and strategic necessity, adding that France wants a “European preference” to shield its domestic industry from rising competition — particularly from Chinese electric cars.
