China ready for dialogue on EVs if EU willing to talk: commerce minister

BEIJING -- China stands ready for dialogue and consultations on electric vehicles (EVs) if the European Union (EU) is willing to sit down at the negotiating table with sincerity, Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said Saturday.

Wang made the remarks during a meeting with German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck, the Ministry of Commerce said in a press release.

China is willing to consider both parties' reasonable concerns to avoid the escalation of trade frictions in a rational and professional manner, Wang said.

China hopes that Germany will play a positive role in the EU, prompting the European side to meet China halfway, he told Habeck, who is also the Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.

If the European side adheres stubbornly to its wrong way, China will take necessary measures, including lodging a case under the World Trade Organization dispute settlement mechanism, to firmly defend its legitimate rights and interests, Wang added.

Noting that Germany and China are supporters and beneficiaries of globalization, Habeck said the German government is deeply concerned about the EU's anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese EVs, which will negatively impact Europe's green transition and consumer interests.

Habeck believes that imposing tariffs is the worst approach as it could lead to a vicious spiral of trade friction escalations, stressing that dialogue and consultations are the only way to solve problems.