Minister Wang Wentao met with Germany Vice Chancellor and Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Habeck
On September 17, Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao met with Germany's Vice Chancellor and Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Habeck in Berlin. The two sides focused on in-depth and candid exchanges on issues such as the EU's countervailing of electric vehicles against China. Chinese Ambassador to Germany Deng Hongbo attended the meeting.
Wang Wentao said that China and the EU have recently held intensive consultations on the countervailing case of electric vehicles, and China has made great efforts. However, the EU not only continued to insist on ruling high countervailing duty rates, but also quickly and hastily rejected the package proposed by the Chinese industry, failing to demonstrate the political will to resolve the issue. The deep integration of the Chinese and German auto industries, and the imposition of tariffs will seriously interfere with trade and investment cooperation, causing damage to the interests of both sides. It is hoped that Germany will proceed from its own interests, push the European Commission and China to work in the same direction, reach a solution in line with WTO rules as soon as possible, and avoid the escalation of China-EU economic and trade frictions.
Habeck said that Germany supports free trade, welcomes Chinese auto and parts companies to invest in Europe, and does not approve of imposing tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. The package proposed by the Chinese industry is an important step forward and lays a good foundation for the next step of EU-China consultations, and we look forward to a constructive response from the European Commission. Germany will urge the European Commission to find an appropriate solution with China and make every effort to avoid trade conflicts.
Minister Wang Wentao met with Minister Schmidt in the Chancellery of Germany
On September 17, Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao met with Minister Schmidt of the Germany Chancellery in Berlin. The two sides focused on in-depth exchanges on issues such as the EU's countervailing case against China's electric vehicles. Chinese Ambassador to Germany Deng Hongbo attended the meeting.
Wang Wentao said that China has always held the greatest sincerity and insisted on properly resolving the EU's anti-subsidy case against China through dialogue and consultation in accordance with the important consensus reached by Chinese and EU leaders to avoid escalating trade frictions, but the EU ignored China's efforts, insisted on ruling high countervailing duty rates, and quickly and hastily rejected the package solution proposed by the Chinese industry. China is deeply disappointed, but it will not give up its efforts and will persist in holding consultations until the last moment. It is hoped that Germany, as a core member of the EU, will take the lead in playing an active role and urge the European Commission to show political will and work together with China to properly resolve the case.
Schmidt said that the German side strongly hopes that the EU and China will properly resolve the electric vehicle case through dialogue and consultation, and has always believed that the imposition of tariffs is not the solution, and has communicated with the European Commission many times in this regard. The package solution proposed by the Chinese industry provides a good basis for the two sides to reach a consensus. The German side will continue to do the work of the European Commission and play an active role in the proper resolution of this case.