China urges France to find common ground on EV tariff row
Commerce minister Wang Wentao told French junior trade minister Sophie Primas that the EU’s probe into China’s EVs has “seriously hindered” cooperation between the China and EU auto industries.
China has reportedly asked France to take on “an active role” to push the European Commission toward a solution acceptable to both the European and Chinese EV sectors, according to Reuters.
Commerce minister Wang Wentao told French junior trade minister Sophie Primas in a meeting in Shanghai that the EU’s probe into China’s EVs has “seriously hindered” cooperation between the China and EU auto industries.
The EU launched an anti-subsidy investigation into imports of Chinese-made battery EVs in 2023. Last month, the bloc voted for tariffs on those vehicles. China has responded by imposing tariffs on European pork and dairy, among other measures.
“China will continue to conduct investigations in strict accordance with the law, safeguard the legitimate rights of enterprises of EU member states, including France, and make rulings based on facts and evidence,” the Commerce ministry statement cited Wang as saying.
However, he added that China was willing to work with the European Commission to find a “proper solution.”
China has told its carmakers to pause major investment in European countries that back additional tariffs on Chinese-built EVs, according to an earlier Reuters report.
The new EU tariffs of up to 45.3% came into effect after a year-long investigation that has triggered an angry reaction from China. The US and Canada had already enforced 100% tariffs on Chinese EVs.
But the EU is a divided house on this issue. While 10 EU members including France and Italy supported tariffs in a vote in October, five including Germany opposed them and 12 abstained.
