China is pushing back against the European Union's decision to slap tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs), calling it a \"protectionist\" move that's not cool 😕.
Starting this Thursday, the EU is rolling out anti-subsidy duties on EVs made in China, and they're sticking around for five years! That means cars from Tesla's Shanghai gigafactory face duties of around 7.8%, while Chinese brand SAIC could see tariffs as high as 35.3%. Yikes! ⚡️🚗
A spokesperson from China's Commerce Ministry didn't hold back, saying China \"does not agree with or accept\" the EU's action. They've even filed a lawsuit with the World Trade Organization (WTO) to challenge the move. ✊📄
\"We're gonna defend our rights and interests,\" the spokesperson added, hinting that China might take necessary measures to protect its companies.
The China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products (that's a mouthful! 😅) chimed in, too. They said the European Commission made a bunch of errors in their ruling.
\"The Commission's unfair, unreasonable, and subjective conclusions seriously violate WTO rules and the EU's own anti-subsidy regulations,\" they stated.
But it's not just China that's worried. Hildegard Müller, president of Germany's auto industry association VDA, pointed out that European carmakers exporting from China to the EU could get hit harder than competitors from China and the US. \"These tariffs might kick off a trade conflict and make cars pricier for everyone,\" she warned. 🚀💸
The China Chamber of Commerce to the EU expressed its disappointment, saying the tariffs won't help the EU's EV scene. Instead of sparking innovation and jobs, they might slow down progress and cooperation. They urged both sides to ditch the tariffs and team up for better results. 🤝✨
Meanwhile, China’s all about talking it out. The Commerce Ministry spokesperson emphasized that China prefers settling trade spats through dialogue. Tech teams from both sides are already in talks, aiming for a win-win solution ASAP to dodge any trade drama. 🕊️🗣️
Fun fact: China exported a whopping 928,000 EVs in the first nine months of this year, up 12.5% from last year! 📈🔥 Belgium, Brazil, and the UK were the top fans of Chinese EVs in the first eight months. Looks like the EV party’s just getting started! 🎉🌍
Reference(s):
China calls EU tariffs on Chinese EVs 'protectionist practice'
cgtn.com
