Europe and China settle telecoms row

The EU has ended a long-running telecoms row with China, the EU’s trade chief said yesterday, dropping a threat to levy punitive tariffs on Chinese telecoms exports and easing tensions between two of the world’s top trading powers.

As Reuters reported on October 8, the deal struck between Brussels and Beijing sets out a framework for China to address EU fears about subsidies to Huawei, China’s number two telecoms equipment maker, and its smaller rival ZTE.

Resolving the dispute marks the latest step in improving trade relations that were helped by a visit of China’s president Xi Jinping to Brussels in March, that Beijing hopes will eventually pave the way for a free-trade deal between the two.