China opens investigation of EU-imposed trade barriers

Beijing's Ministry of Commerce said Wednesday it is launching a probe into European policies in an evident retaliation for caller EU probes of Chinese companies.

"The Ministry of Commerce volition behaviour a commercialized and concern obstruction probe into the applicable practices adopted by the EU successful its probe of Chinese enterprises," the ministry said connected its website.

The investigation, which volition tally until astatine slightest January 2025, comes after a ailment made by the nationalist Chamber of Commerce for importing and exporting machinery and electronics. The enquiry volition absorption connected the EU's practices successful its investigations of Chinese companies nether the Regulation connected Foreign Subsidies Distorting the Internal Market of the European Union.

A connection from Beijing said its probe volition look into the interaction of EU measures connected circumstantial sectors, including "products specified arsenic railway locomotives, photovoltaics, upwind powerfulness and information inspection equipment."

EU-China commercialized tensions

Trade tensions betwixt China and the 27-nation bloc have precocious escalated. Last month, Beijing warned that friction with the EU implicit electrical conveyance imports could trigger a commercialized war.

Last year, the European Commission concluded that Chinese authorities subsidies for its EV manufacture were unfairly undermining European rivals.

As a result, the EU placed provisional duties of up to 38% on Chinese EV imports, contempt an outcry from manufacturers and Chinese concern groups.

In January, Brussels announced respective measures aimed astatine keeping delicate exertion and cardinal infrastructure out of the hands of planetary rivals, notably China.

The caller restrictions require much rigorous screening of investments from abroad, tighter controls connected exports and much regulation on who tin enactment successful researching cardinal technologies.

jsi/sms (AFP, EFE, AP)