Navigating Sino–European trade headwinds
Services exports to China a less explored area to unleash strength
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Trade relations between China and the European Union are feeling the heat following the release of the latest customs data in mid-July.
In the first half of 2026, China's trade surplus in goods with the EU climbed to a record high.
Yet the broader picture tells a more nuanced story. For example, a considerable share of China-EU trade is generated by European companies operating in China, with 40 percent of their output exported back to Europe, leaving China with the surplus and the EU with the profits.
















