BERLIN: The German government on Wednesday urged the European Union and China to reach a compromise a day after Brussels announced extra tariffs on Chinese-made electric cars.
Europe’s biggest economy, whose flagship auto industry is mired in problems, is “appealing both to Brussels and Beijing to come to durable and constructive solutions” through ongoing talks, said Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s spokesman Steffen Hebestreit.
Germany had voted against the extra tariffs, measures which Hebestreit said “will naturally bring a response from the Chinese side”.
“Such trade disputes are not something we should aspire too,” he told a press conference.
The new tariffs of up to 35 percent were announced by the European Commission on Tuesday after an EU probe found Chinese state subsidies were undercutting European automakers.
Beijing said Wednesday it had lodged a complaint with the World Trade Organization, with China’s commerce ministry vowing to “take all necessary measures to firmly protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies”.
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