BRUSSELS—The EU will signal Tuesday how Brussels will muscle up to counter China’s aggressive trade policies, including by unveiling a list of sensitive technologies that must be kept out of Beijing’s hands.
Brussels is building a trade armory to protect the bloc from actions by rival countries, including a tool aimed at punishing nations that seek to put pressure on one of its member states.
The European Commission will publish a list of critical technologies it believes Europe must not make easily available to countries where Brussels fears they could harm the bloc’s security, EU interests or human rights.
The European Parliament is also set to give its final green light on Tuesday to a mechanism that would allow the bloc to impose tariffs, restrict investment, and limit access to public contracts for nations seen as engaging in economic blackmail.
It is a response to a dispute with China over trade restrictions imposed on EU member Lithuania after it strengthened ties with Taiwan.
MEPs will also quiz the commission on Tuesday about the EU’s relations with China following a visit by trade commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis to China last month.
Although the European Union says it seeks to maintain dialogue with Beijing, Brussels has stepped up its efforts to curtail critical trade with China.
