The Irish Times view on the EU and China: a fragile peace on trade

The European Union and China have averted a trade war with an agreement that saw Beijing agree to limit exports of hybrid cars, facilitate the supply of rare earths and cut tariffs on a range of European products. But as trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic acknowledged in Beijing on Friday night, this is only a first step in rebalancing a trade relationship that is running at €1 billion a day in China’s favour. Sefcovic said the deal could see Chinese exports of hybrid cars to the EU cut in half over the next four years, a promise that should ease the…