Beijing steps up talks with Brussels over EV tariffs

Beijing is initiating intense trade negotiations with Brussels, seeking to settle ongoing disputes over additional tariffs on China-made electric vehicles that the European Union will finalize next month, according to a spokesman for China’s Ministry of Commerce.

Wang Wentao, minister of commerce, will visit Europe and meet Valdis Dombrovskis, the European Commission’s executive vice president and commissioner for trade, on Sept. 19, the spokesman said at a news briefing in Beijing on Sept. 12. 

The two sides will carry out “consultation” on the antisubsidy tariffs the EU has tentatively levied on EVs from China, Wang said. 
 

At a Sept. 10 news briefing, the spokesman disclosed that Li Feiyi, vice minister of commerce, held talks with Sabine Weyand, trade director and general of the European Commission, in Brussels on Sept. 9. 

At the talks, Li expressed the Chinese side’s “willingness to engage in dialogue and consultation to properly resolve economic and trade frictions between China and Europe, and to reasonably address each other's concerns,” the spokesman said. 

The antisubsidy case involving China-made EVs is complex and carries broad implications for China-EU relations, the spokesman added. 

“But the Chinese side believes that as long as the European side shows sincerity and makes positive efforts, concerns on both sides can be resolved through consultations,” he said.

The European Commission announced on Aug. 20 an adjustment on tariffs of up to 38.1 percent that it had proposed on June 12 for China-made EVs. 

After the adjustments, provisional tariffs on EV imports from Chinese companies BYD Co., Geely Automobile Holdings and SAIC Motor Corp. were marginally lowered. 

The commission plans to finalize the tariffs by Oct. 30.