SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Beijing is urging Paris to play “an active role” in pushing the European Commission towards a solution acceptable to the European Union and China in their dispute over electric vehicles, Chinese Commerce Minister Wang said Wentao, according to comments reported Monday by his services.

Wang Wentao received French Minister of Foreign Trade Sophie Primas in Shanghai on Sunday, with whom he reiterated that the investigation carried out by Brussels into electric vehicles imported from China was a major concern and had “seriously hampered” cooperation Sino-European in the automobile industry.

The European Commission has decided to raise customs taxes on electric vehicles manufactured in China, a measure that came into force last Wednesday after a year-long investigation into aid deemed unfair by Beijing for local automobile production.

In what is seen as retaliatory measures, China has opened its own investigations over the past year into imports of several European products, including cognac.

This is one of the themes that Sophie Primas intended to address during her three-day visit to China, while France considers the surcharges imposed on cognac to be unjustified and political, two French diplomatic sources declared last week.

According to comments reported by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, Wang Wentao told Sophie Primas that Beijing’s investigations targeting European cognac, pork and dairy products fell within local regulations and respected the rules of the World Organization of Trade (WTO).

He added, however, that China was willing to work with the European Commission on an “appropriate” solution. No details were provided.

(Liz Lee, with the Shanghai office; Jean Terzian)

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