EU-China trade deficit, Anti-Coercion Instrument and 454-86 Parliament vote: key international economy facts

Direct fact

In October 2026, the European Union sent trade envoy Maros Sefcovic to Beijing for a two-day meeting with Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao, as the bloc faced a 360 billion euro trade deficit with China and a European Parliament vote of 454 to 86 on tougher action.

Key specifics

• Maros Sefcovic, the European Commission’s top trade envoy, met Wang Wentao in Beijing on October 8, 2026, for a two-day discussion.
• The EU’s trade deficit with China was stated as 360 billion euro, described as more than $1 billion a day.
• The European Parliament voted 454 to 86 on October 7, 2026, for “economic reciprocity” and a proportionate EU response.
• France and Germany urged easier use of the Anti-Coercion Instrument, the EU’s so-called “trade bazooka”.
• Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez had visited Beijing four times in three years, showing differing EU views on China.

Exam lens

Question type: International relations + economy match-the-following, key facts: 27-nation EU, 360 billion euro deficit, 454-86 vote, Anti-Coercion Instrument, Beijing meeting on October 8, 2026. TNPSC may ask which bloc used a trade instrument against coercive pressure and which leader led the China outreach.