BEIJING (Reuters) -Proposed European Union tariffs on Chinese language items should not a “punishment”, Germany’s Economic system Minister Robert Habeck advised Chinese language officers in Beijing on Saturday.
Habeck’s go to to China is the primary by a senior European official since Brussels proposed hefty duties on imports of Chinese language-made electrical autos (EVs) to fight what the EU considers extreme subsidies.
China warned on Friday forward of his arrival that escalating frictions with the EU over EVs might set off a commerce struggle.
“It is important to understand that these are not punitive tariffs,” Habeck mentioned within the first plenary session of a local weather and transformation dialogue.
International locations such because the U.S., Brazil and Turkey have used punitive tariffs, however not the EU, the economic system minister mentioned. “Europe does things differently.”
Habeck mentioned that for 9 months, the European Fee had examined in nice element whether or not Chinese language corporations had benefited unfairly from subsidies.
Any countervailing obligation measure that outcomes from the EU evaluate “is not a punishment”, he mentioned, including that such measures are supposed to compensate for the benefits granted to Chinese language corporations by Beijing.
Assembly Zheng Shanjie, chairman of China’s Nationwide Growth and Reform Fee, Habeck mentioned the proposed EU tariffs have been meant to degree the enjoying subject with China.
Zheng responded: “We will do everything to protect Chinese companies.”
