TMTPost--ChinahasrequestedtheWorldTradeOrganization(WTO)disputeconsultationsandfiledacomplaintwiththeWTOagainsttheEuropeanUnion’sextratariffsonChineseelectricvehicles(EVs),aspokespersonwithChina’sMinistryofCommerce(MOFCOM)saidonWednesday,accordingtowebsiteoftheministry.
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ChinadoesnotapproveoforaccepttheEuropeanCommission'sdecisiontoimposeextratariffsonChina-madeEVs,andwillcontinuetotakeallnecessarymeasurestoresolutelydefendthelegitimaterightsandinterestsofChinesecompanies,saidthespokesperson.
ChinahasrepeatedlypointedoutthattheEU'santi-subsidyinvestigationonChineseEVshasmanyunreasonableandnon-compliantaspects,andsuchmoveisaprotectionistpracticeof"unfaircompetition"inthenameof"faircompetition",thespokespersonnoted.
ChinawasalsoawareoftheEUsaiditwillcontinuetonegotiatewithChinaonpricecommitment,accordingtothespokesperson.Chinahasbeenmakingeveryefforttoaddresstradedisputesthroughdialogueandconsultationjustasitalwaysadvocates,saidthespokesperson.Sinceanewroundoftalksbetweentechnicalteamsofbothsidesareunderway,thepersonurgedtheEUtoworkwithChinatopushforwardthenegotiationsinaconstructivemanner,followingtheprinciplesof"pragmatismandbalance"andtakingintoaccountofthecoreconcernsofbothsides,andtoreachamutuallyagreeablesolutionassoonaspossibletoavertescalationintradefriction.
Thespokesperson’sremarkcameaftertheEUhasdecidedtoimposeheftytariffsonChineseEVsafteritsanti-subsidyprobeformorethanayear.
TheEuropeanCommissionsaidonJuly4itimposedprovisionalcountervailingdutiesofupto37.6%,ontopoftheordinaryBEVimportdutyof10%,onimportsofBEVsfromChina.TheregulatorybodydisclosedonOctober4itsproposaltoimposedefinitivecountervailingdutiesonimportsofBEVsfromChinahasobtainedthenecessarysupportfromEUMemberStatesfortheadoptionoftariffs.TheannouncementclearedhurdlesfortheEUtointroduceupto45%definitivetariffs.Sinceaqualifiedmajorityof15EUmemberscompleted,theproposeddefinitivetariffsaresettogointoeffectfromnextmonthforfiveyears.
TheEuropeanCommissionproposedtoaddupto35.3%tothecurrent10%dutyfacedbyChineseexporters.ItslatestproposalwasformallyapprovedandpublishedintheEU'sOfficialJournalonTuesday,meaningtheywilltakeeffectonWednesday.
BasedontheCommission'sproposal,TeslaappearstobethebigwinnerastheEUwillimposeanextra7.8%tariffonTeslaEVsoriginatedfromChina,muchlowerthanthe20.8%undertheprovisionaldutiesthattookeffectinJuly.
TheCommissionhasslightlyloweredtariffratesthatthreesampledChineseEVmakers.TheadditionalindividualdutiesonBYD,GeelyandSAICwouldbe17%,18.8%and35.3%,respectively.Othercooperatingcompanieswouldbesubjecttoa20.7%tariff,whilenon-cooperatingcompanieswouldbeslappedwitha35.3%rate.AlloftheseadditionaltariffsareontopoftheEU’sstandard10%importdutyofcars.