Spokesperson of the Ministry of Commerce responds to questions regarding the EU's preliminary ruling on anti-subsidy investigation into electric vehicles from China

Q: On June 12, the European Commission released the preliminary ruling on the anti-subsidy investigation of electric vehicles from China, proposing to impose temporary anti-subsidy duties on electric vehicles imported from China. What is China's response to this?

A: China has taken note that on June 12, the European Commission released the preliminary ruling on the anti-subsidy investigation of electric vehicles from China, proposing to impose temporary anti-subsidy duties on electric vehicles imported from China. The European side disregards facts and WTO rules, ignores China's strong opposition, and disregards the appeals and dissuasion from several EU member states' governments and industries. China is highly concerned and strongly dissatisfied with this unilateral move. The Chinese industry is deeply disappointed and firmly opposes it.

The European Commission's ruling lacks factual and legal basis. The European Commission disregards the objective fact that China's advantage in electric vehicles comes from open competition, ignores WTO rules, and disregards the full cooperation of relevant Chinese companies in the investigation. They artificially construct and exaggerate the so-called "subsidy" programs, abuse the "facts available" rule, and determine excessively high subsidy levels. This is blatant protectionism, escalating trade frictions, using the name of "maintaining fair competition" to actually "undermine fair competition," which is the greatest "unfairness." This move by the European side not only harms the legitimate rights and interests of China's electric vehicle industry but also disrupts and distorts the global automotive industry supply chain, including the EU.

While the European Commission raises the flag of green development, it wields the "protectionism" stick, politicizing and weaponizing economic and trade issues, which is not in line with the consensus spirit of strengthening cooperation between China and the EU leaders. It will affect the atmosphere of bilateral economic and trade cooperation between China and the EU, not be beneficial to the interests of EU consumers themselves, and will also undermine the overall green transformation of the EU and global cooperation in addressing climate change.

China urges the EU to immediately correct its wrong practices, effectively implement the important consensus reached at the recent trilateral meeting of Chinese, French, and EU leaders, and properly handle economic and trade frictions through dialogue and consultation. China will closely monitor the EU's follow-up progress and will resolutely take all necessary measures to firmly defend the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises