The Minister of Commerce of China, Wang Wen Tao, is scheduled to visit Europe to engage in talks with the European Union regarding the controversial anti-subsidy case on electric vehicles (EVs) imported from China. According to a recent report by IT之家, the visit is set to take place on the 19th of this month, where Wang Wen Tao will meet with Executive Vice-President of the European Commission and Trade Commissioner, Maroš Šefčovič, to discuss the ongoing dispute.
The EU had officially disclosed its decision draft to impose an anti-subsidy tax on pure electric vehicles imported from China, ranging from 9% to 36.3%. The final decision is expected to be made by November 4th. In response to the draft, the Ministry of Commerce has strongly criticized the EU’s investigation, claiming it is biased and non-compliant with WTO rules.
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has argued that the EU’s investigation was conducted with a preconceived conclusion, which violated the principles of objectivity, fairness, non-discrimination, and transparency that the EU promised. It also stated that the investigation was conducted in a manner that did not comply with WTO rules, which the Chinese government and industry have actively contested through various means, including submitting answers, written comments, and statements at public hearings.
The Chinese government and industry have provided tens of thousands of pages of legal documents and evidence materials to refute the EU’s unreasonable and non-compliant practices. They have also pointed out that the EU’s restrictions on Chinese EVs would disrupt the global automotive supply chain and harm the interests of EU consumers. It would also hinder the EU’s own green transformation and global cooperation in addressing climate change.
The EU’s final ruling, which was disclosed, did not fully take into account the opinions of the Chinese side, and the EU still maintained its erroneous practices by imposing high tariffs. The EU also differentiated between Chinese companies of different types through sampling, distorting the results of the investigation. The Chinese side has strongly opposed and expressed great concern about this.
Since the end of June, China and the EU have conducted more than ten rounds of technical consultations on the case based on facts and rules. The Chinese side has always been committed to resolving trade disputes through dialogue and consultation with the EU. It has expressed hope that the EU will genuinely engage in dialogue with China, adopt a rational and pragmatic attitude, and accelerate the exploration of a proper solution to avoid the escalation of trade frictions. China will take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.
According to reports by IT之家, the EU recently plans to slightly reduce the additional tariffs on EVs imported from China. The proposed tariff rate for Tesla is expected to be reduced from 9% to slightly below 8%. This adjustment is said to be made based on new information provided by companies. The EU member states will vote on the proposed final tariffs before they take effect in November, and these additional tariffs will be added to the 10% tariffs already paid by Chinese exporters.
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