China, Germany hold trade talks as EU weighs market shutdown plan

Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao held a video call with German Economy Minister Katherina Reiche on Monday, according to a brief statement from the Chinese side. The two officials "exchanged opinions" on China-Germany and China-EU economic and trade relations, the statement said. The call came just over a week before the next round of trade talks between Beijing and Brussels. It also followed reports that Germany and France are pushing for a new tool that would allow the EU to quickly shut China out of the European market.