BEIJING (Reuters) -The EU’s decision to impose additional tariffs on imports of Chinese electric vehicles is not a “punishment”, German Economy Minister Robert Habeck said on Saturday.
Robert Habeck is the first European representative to visit Beijing since last week’s announcement by the European Commission, which decided to impose customs duties of up to 38.1% on imports of electric vehicles in from China.
China estimated on Friday that the European Union was taking the risk of triggering a “trade war” with Beijing by in particular stoking tensions around electric vehicles.
“It is important to understand that these tariffs are not punitive,” Robert Habeck said during the plenary session of the dialogue on climate and transformation.
Germany’s economy minister said the European Commission had conducted a nine-month investigation into possible Chinese subsidies to its industry.
The measures taken after this investigation “are not a punishment”, declared Robert Habeck, adding that they were aimed at compensating the advantages granted by Beijing to Chinese companies.
“We must achieve common and fair standards for market access,” he stressed.
The tariffs aim to put the EU and China on an equal footing, Robert Habeck said during a meeting with Zheng Shanjie, in charge of state economic planning.
“We will do everything to protect Chinese companies,” Zheng Shanjie said.
Customs duties imposed by the EU on Chinese electric vehicles will penalize both parties, Zheng Shanjie added, urging Germany to show leadership within the European bloc and “do the right choice”.
He also countered accusations of unfair subsidies, arguing that the development of China’s new energy industry was the result of advantages in technology, market and industrial chains, driven by fierce competition.
Robert Habeck, however, indicated that the door for discussions on the subject remained open.
“I suggested to my Chinese partners that the door to negotiations remains open, and I hope that this message has been heard,” he said.
(Maria Martinez; Camille Raynaud and Zhifan Liu)
Copyright © 2024 Thomson Reuters
I have over 8 years of experience working in the news industry. I have worked as a reporter, editor, and now managing editor at 247 News Agency. I am responsible for the day-to-day operations of the news website and overseeing all of the content that is published. I also write a column for the website, covering mostly market news.