China consults with auto sector on possible tariffs on European vehicles
China's ministry of Commerce has invited experts, sector organisations and industry representatives to discuss raising tariffs on imported cars with large combustion engines, authorities in Beijing announced on Friday.
The ministry did not give further details about the participants in the meeting and the outcome of the consultations is also unclear for now.
Beijing had threatened countermeasures after the EU introduced duties on electric car imports from China in early July. Currently, the levies are still provisional, but the European Commission plans to make them permanent. The EU defends the levies by arguing that China's electric vehicles are "unfairly subsidised", harming European manufacturers.
China has sharply criticised the European measure. It accuses the EU of protectionism and of harming the interests of European consumers. In response, China has launched anti-dumping investigations into European products already on the Chinese market, including pork, spirits and certain dairy products.
© PHOTO JADE GAO / AFP
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