China reserves right to file lawsuits with WTO over new EU tariffs on Chinese EVs: commerce ministry

BEIJING - China reserves the right to file lawsuits with the World Trade Organization (WTO) concerning the European Union's (EU) plan to impose provisional duties on imports of Chinese electric vehicles (EVs), the Ministry of Commerce said Thursday.

The findings by the European side in its pre-disclosure lack both a factual and a legal basis, the ministry's spokesperson He Yadong said at a press briefing.

The spokesperson stated that the move not only undermines the legitimate rights and interests of China's EV industry, but also disrupts the cooperation between China and Europe in the field of new energy vehicles and distorts global automotive industrial and supply chains, including those in the EU.

Such an action is "blatant protectionism" and it is suspected that it violates WTO rules, and China will take all necessary measures to defend the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises, He said.

China urges the EU to rectify its wrong-doing immediately, implement the important consensuses reached during the recent China-France-EU trilateral meeting, and address economic and trade frictions through dialogue.

On Wednesday, the European Commission issued a statement pre-disclosing the level of protectionist provisional duties it will impose on imports of battery EVs from China.