Question: According to relevant reports, representatives of the EU Member States voted on October 4 to adopt the draft definitive findings of anti-subsidy investigation into imports of BEVs submitted by the European Commission, which proposes to impose definitive countervailing duties on BEVs produced by China. What is China’s comment on this?

Answer: China has noted the relevant reports. China’s position on the EU’s anti-subsidy investigation is consistent and clear. China firmly opposes the EU’s unfair, non-compliant and unreasonable protectionist practices in this case, and the imposition of countervailing duties on Chinese BEVs.

Based on market-orientation and full competition, China’s electric vehicles enriched quality supply of green public goods in the world through continuous independent innovation, making an important contribution to the global response to climate change. The protectionist practices of the EU seriously violated the WTO rules and disrupted the normal international trade order, not only hindering China-EU trade and investment cooperation, slowing down the EU’s own green transition, but also hurting global efforts to combat climate change.

China has been implementing the consensus reached by the leaders of the two sides, safeguarding the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, and engaging in dialogue and consultations to properly solve differences with utmost good faith. Since the end of June, China and the EU have held more than ten technical consultations at the director general level and two consultations at the vice-ministerial level on the case. On September 19, Minister Wang Wentao and European Commission Executive Vice-President and Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis held comprehensive, in-depth and constructive talks, during which both sides clearly expressed their political will to resolve differences through consultations and agreed to open price undertaking consultations to avoid escalation of trade frictions. In the following 14 days, technical teams on the two sides conducted six rounds of technical consultations, where the Chinese side repeatedly and fully listened to the requests and opinions of the Chinese and European industries, and demonstrated an open and cooperative attitude and maximum flexibility throughout the process of consultations.

China firmly opposes the EU’s draft definitive findings, but also notes the political will expressed by the EU to continue to resolve the issue through negotiations. The Chinese and European technical teams will continue negotiations on October 7. China hopes that the EU will remain sober-minded that the imposition of tariffs will not solve any problems, but will only shake and stunt the confidence and determination of Chinese businesses in investing and cooperating with Europe. China urges the EU to take real actions to deliver its political will and return to the right track of resolving trade frictions through consultations. China will also be firm in taking all measures to protect the interests of Chinese enterprises.

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