The European Union (EU) voted to impose tariffs of up to 45 percent on the import of electric vehicles produced in China, a move that caused significant opposition from several EU member states and the automotive industry, China Media Group (CMG) reported today.
In response, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade expressed firm opposition, adding that China and the EU should resolve their differences through dialogue to reach a solution that is in line with the interests of both sides.
China’s Ministry of Commerce also expressed strong opposition to the EU’s decision, calling it “unfair, inconsistent and unreasonable,” while acknowledging the EU’s political willingness to continue negotiations.
Technical teams from China and the EU will resume talks on October 7.
The European Commission announced that the proposal on the introduction of customs duties on electric vehicles from China received the necessary support from EU member states for adoption. The vote revealed a split bloc: 10 members supported the tariffs, 12 abstained and five – including Germany, the EU’s biggest economy and a key carmaker – voted against them.
“Despite voting for potential punitive tariffs against China, Ursula von der Leyen’s European Commission should not start a trade war.” We need a negotiated solution,” German Finance Minister Christian Lindner wrote on Platform X on Friday.
A day earlier, the minister also warned on the platform that tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles “would be wrong”, he said “We need to speak openly and negotiate with China – but trade wars only have losers”, he added.
The announcement also sparked outrage from the auto industry, which considers it a mistake and calls for further negotiations.
Source: Krstarica.com / Beta.rs
Photo: Archive Autoblog.rs / Xpeng
Source: autoblog.rs
