The European Union is intensifying its stance towards China, urging the country to voluntarily limit its hybrid car exports to address a worsening trade deficit that has reportedly reached a tipping point. EU leaders, including Ursula von der Leyen, have expressed concerns over an unsustainable trade imbalance, which has been quantified at over one billion dollars a day. As tensions rise, the EU is considering all available tools to manage the situation, including potential tariffs on Chinese hybrid vehicles. The call for restrictions aims to prevent a trade war and encourage a more balanced economic relationship. Meanwhile, trade chiefs from both sides are expected to hold talks as deadlines approach, amid criticisms that European businesses are inadequately prepared for potential supply disruptions from China.