France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands and Lithuania push EU for tougher China trade tools

Five EU member states are calling on the European Union to strengthen its trade defence instruments amid rising tensions with China. France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and Lithuania are leading the push for the bloc to take a firmer stance against Beijing.

Five European Union member states — France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and Lithuania — have jointly called on Brussels to sharpen its trade defence arsenal as economic and geopolitical tensions with China continue to escalate. The coalition is pressing the EU to make greater use of existing trade tools and potentially develop new mechanisms to counter what they see as unfair Chinese trade practices.

## A United Front on Trade

The move signals growing frustration among a significant group of EU economies over the bloc's current approach to China. The five countries argue that the EU must be prepared to use economic leverage more assertively, particularly as Beijing continues to expand its global market footprint through practices that European manufacturers say distort competition.

The push comes at a sensitive moment for EU-China relations, with Brussels already navigating disputes over electric vehicle tariffs and subsidies. The inclusion of Lithuania — a Baltic state that has taken a notably confrontational stance toward China in recent years over its support for Taiwan — adds a geopolitical dimension to what is also an economic argument.

## Lithuania's Role in the Coalition

Lithuania's participation is particularly noteworthy given the country's history of friction with Beijing. Vilnius allowed Taiwan to open a de facto embassy under its own name in 2021, prompting China to downgrade diplomatic relations and impose informal trade restrictions. Lithuania has since become one of the most vocal advocates in the EU for a tougher line on China.

For Estonia and its Baltic neighbours, the outcome of this push matters significantly. Any new EU trade tools would apply across the single market, affecting how member states engage with Chinese partners on everything from infrastructure investment to digital technology procurement.