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Chi­na has become the EU’s largest trade part­ner for the first time, lat­est data shows, high­light­ing that the eco­nom­ic ties of the close com­pre­hen­sive strate­gic part­ner­ship between Chi­na and the EU are inter­twined with each oth­er’s indus­tri­al chain.

The data also dis­cred­its some media reports that Bei­jing’s hopes of using Europe as a coun­ter­weight to the US have fal­tered, as Chi­na faces ris­ing anger over its poli­cies and behav­ior includ­ing trade. Chi­nese experts said the noise will not have any impact on sound trade rela­tions between the two economies.

The lat­est data from Euro­stat shows Chi­na has become the EU’s largest trade part­ner for the first time, sur­pass­ing the US by 5.2 bil­lion euro ($6.16 bil­lion). From Jan­u­ary to July, trade between Chi­na and the EU rose 2.6 per­cent to 328.7 bil­lion euro amid COVID-19.