BEIJING: China and the EU are reportedly nearing a solution over eliminating tariffs on Chinese electric vehicle (EV) imports into the bloc, German broadcaster n-tv reported on Friday, citing Bernd Lange, chair of the trade committee of the European Parliament.
Chinese experts said that if the reported remarks by the European official are “true and accurate,” then it is a good signal that the trade dispute could come to an early resolution.
Lange told n-tv on Friday that Brussels and Beijing are close to an agreement in which China could commit to offering e-cars in the EU at a minimum price, without elaborating, according to media reports. The European official said that “this would eliminate the distortion of competition through unfair subsidies, which is why the tariffs were originally introduced,” Reuters reported.
Neither the European Commission (EC) nor China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) have commented following Lange’s remarks on Sunday as of press time. If the information released by the European official is true and accurate, it can be considered a “positive” and “encouraging” message as it reflects once again that dialogue and consultation are the right way for both sides to resolve trade issues, Zhou Mi, a senior research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said on Sunday.
Zhou noted that resolving trade disputes through talks has always been the right choice, and one on which China has always insisted, and it should have come from the EU side from the beginning. “It is hoped that a final result with the consideration of both concerns over the matter can be made as soon as possible,” Zhou said. –The Daily Mail-Global Times news exchange item
