"What we see right now is the unfolding of a slow-motion train accident," he told reporters at a briefing last week. "That's when trade becomes a security question and I think that is perhaps not fully appreciated in China just yet." There needs to be an honest conversation between Europe and China about what this is going to mean. The EU was China's largest regional trading partner until Southeast Asia recently surpassed it. The U.S. is China's largest trading partner on a single-country basis.

---

Persons: Jens Eskelund, Eskelund, I've, Markus Herrmann Chen Organizations: Future Publishing, Getty, European Union Chamber of Commerce, EU, of Commerce, Investment, China Macro Locations: Hefei, Anhui province, BEIJING, Europe, Beijing, China, Southeast Asia, U.S