China blasts expected EU investigation into greentech subsidies

• The European Union may open investigations into Chinese products, including electric vehicles (EVs), medical devices, wind turbines, and solar panels, due to concerns that Beijing’s policies unfairly favor domestic suppliers. [tmtpost.com, businesstimes.com.sg, scmp.com]

• The EU has launched a subsidy investigation into Chinese greentech companies examining whether Chinese firms participating in wind parks across Europe may have benefited from state support from Beijing. [sott.net, fortune.com, cms.mercomindia.com, borneobulletin.com.bn, chinanews.net]

• The EU’s competition chief cited “massive subsidies for domestic suppliers” as the reason for China’s dominance in the solar panel industry and expressed concerns about similar issues in electric vehicles, wind, or essential chips. [sott.net, fortune.com, chinanews.net]

• Chinese wind turbines are being offered in Europe at up to 50% lower prices than Europe-made turbines. [cms.mercomindia.com, borneobulletin.com.bn]

• The EU probe will initially focus on information-gathering from companies and member states before authorities start talks with the Chinese government on fair and open markets, and it may result in the bloc curtailing Chinese access to its tenders. [tmtpost.com, businesstimes.com.sg]

• The investigation is alleged to lack transparency, with EU manufacturers granted anonymity and the EU providing inadequate data, and the Commission’s choice of companies to sample is seen as purposely selecting three Chinese-owned producers to reach predetermined findings of subsidization. [asiafinancial.com, zawya.com]

• China has protested the investigations, stating that they “seriously damage” the confidence of Chinese enterprises operating in Europe and interfere with mutually beneficial industrial cooperation, and that the investigations will affect global efforts to address climate change and the process of green transformation. [global.bihardainik.com, krdo.com]

• China blames the EU for distorting the definition of subsidies and conducting inquires without open or transparent procedural standards. [tmtpost.com, businesstimes.com.sg]

• The European Commission is expected to decide on provisional duties by June 5 and definitive duties by early November, as European policymakers seek to avoid a repeat of the collapse of many European solar panel manufacturers a decade ago. [devdiscourse.com, tribune.com.pk]

• China Daily claims the EU’s continuous use of the Foreign Subsidies Regulation as an economic tool to target Chinese companies sends a detrimental signal to the world, suggesting discrimination against Chinese enterprises and endorsing protectionism. [chinadaily.com.cn]

• The Chinese industry body claims the case is a “perfect example of the EU’s double standards,” given that the EU is not taking any action against the near $400 billion of subsidies of the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act and is itself pumping billions of euros into battery and EV production. [europe.autonews.com]

Sources:

• tmtpost.com (Chinese)

• businesstimes.com.sg (English)

• scmp.com (English)

• sott.net (English)

• fortune.com (English)

• cms.mercomindia.com (English)

• borneobulletin.com.bn (English)

• chinanews.net (Chinese)

• tribune.com.pk (English)

• devdiscourse.com (English)

• dailymail.co.uk (English)

• asiafinancial.com (English)

• zawya.com (English)

• chinadaily.com.cn (English)

• global.bihardainik.com (English)

• krdo.com (English

• europe.autonews.com (English)

Links:

• https://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/auto-technology/visiting-chinese-trade-official-warns-eu-on-greentech-probe/109247554

• https://finance.yahoo.com/news/1-visiting-chinese-trade-official-104026930.html

• https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3258651/china-protests-europes-new-anti-subsidy-probe-and-report-alleging-distortions-economy

• https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202404/11/WS66173aeea31082fc043c156a.html

• https://www.tmtpost.com/7039938.html

• https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/eu-set-launch-china-probe-medical-device-procurement

• https://www.asiafinancial.com/china-slams-biased-eu-over-electric-vehicle-imports-probe

• https://www.zawya.com/en/world/china-and-asia-pacific/chinese-body-says-eu-electric-vehicle-probe-is-stacked-against-china-jzga4bh2

• https://tribune.com.pk/story/2462406/chinese-official-warns-eu-on-greentech-probe

• https://europe.autonews.com/automakers/europes-ev-probe-unfair-china-industry-body-says

• https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/headlines/2885936-visiting-chinese-trade-official-warns-eu-on-greentech-probe

• https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-13300937/Visiting-Chinese-trade-official-warns-EU-greentech-probe.html

• https://www.tmtpost.com/7033164.html

• https://therussophile.org/eu-protectionism-eu-to-probe-chinese-wind-turbine-suppliers.html/

• https://global.bihardainik.com/2024/04/11/china-protests-europes-new-wind-turbine-probe-and-report-alleging-distortions-in-the-economy/

• https://krdo.com/news/2024/04/11/europe-launches-subsidies-probe-into-chinese-wind-turbine-suppliers/

• https://www.sott.net/article/490517-EU-protectionism-EU-to-probe-Chinese-wind-turbine-suppliers

• https://fortune.com/asia/2024/04/11/europe-probe-chinese-wind-turbines-protectionist-act-beijing-reckless-distortion-subsidies/

• https://cms.mercomindia.com/eu-probe-chinese-wind-turbine-suppliers-unfair-trade-practices/

• https://borneobulletin.com.bn/china-eu-clash-over-green-subsidy-probe/

• https://www.chinanews.net/news/274250070/eu-to-probe-chinese-wind-turbine-suppliers