China urges EU to address legitimate concerns of Chinese firms over EU's business environment

China's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday urged the EU to address the legitimate concerns and reasonable demands of Chinese enterprises, avoid politicizing economic and trade issues or generalizing the concept of national security, and provide a fair, transparent, and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies investing and operating in the EU.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks at a press conference on Tuesday in response to findings from a report by the China Chamber of Commerce to the EU, released on Monday, which showed continued deterioration in the business environment for Chinese enterprises in the EU.

Survey data from the report showed that 68 percent of Chinese enterprises believe the business environment has worsened over the past year, with over half claiming the EU market is no longer "fair and open."

Uncertainty has emerged as a defining factor in the report, with 78 percent of surveyed Chinese firms citing it as their primary operational challenge.

Mao said that since October last year, the European Union has implemented over 40 restrictive economic and trade measures against China. The new European Commission has increasingly emphasized "economic security" and plans to further strengthen its toolbox for economic and trade measures, upgrading restrictions in areas such as investment reviews and export controls.

These actions run counter to the EU's stated principles of the market economy, fair competition, and free trade, and have harmed the legitimate interests of Chinese companies and also tarnished the EU's image, said Mao.