The European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, issued a statement by Mr. Oettinger on Thursday seeking to resolve the matter and expressing remorse. “China is a partner and a tough competitor, therefore we need a level playing field where Chinese companies can buy European ones, and European companies can buy Chinese ones,” he said. Mr. Oettinger, who had reportedly called Wallonia a communist-run “micro-region” that was “blocking” Europe, responded by saying some of his comments had been “misquoted,” although he did not specify which. In a series of Twitter posts on Thursday, and at a news conference in Bucharest, Romania, Mr. Oettinger seemed to acknowledge the concern about his views on gays, although he did not offer an apology. Sometimes with success,” read one, “He is always trying to improve his foreign language skills in German and English,” read another.

Source: New York Times November 03, 2016 13:22 UTC