EU shows unprecedented unity on China trade policy after German shift

According to senior adviser Noah Barkin of the Rhodium Group, the EU has coalesced around a tougher approach to China's trade surplus. The bloc has imposed an October deadline for China to address the imbalance, warning of stricter actions if unmet. Barkin noted that while Beijing can retaliate in the short term, the EU's access to its single market gives it significant leverage, and China likely wishes to avoid a broader escalation.