The Chinese media issued a warning to the European Commission (EC) about the potential imposition of tariffs on China's electric vehicles (EV) in Europe. Will Brussels lend a sympathetic ear or fall into a sanctions trap?
Mercedes CEO Ola Kallenius stated earlier this month that Europe should resist the call for protectionist measures, while former Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess noted last week that slapping tariffs on Chinese EVs could postpone the Europe's transition to clean energy and spark a dangerous worldwide trade war. The Chinese daily said it was no coincidence that the Commission's announcement will be made following the European Parliament elections from June 6 to 9, as tariffs would cause "Considerable losses for EU businesses and consumers."Bloomberg shed some light on what Beijing could do in response to Brussels' punitive measures:Europe now finds itself between a rock and a hard place. The West's trade war against China could deal a new blow to the European economy. Eu's looming trade war with china, ec considers additional tariffs on chinese electric vehicles, chinese evs, european commission anti-subsidy investigation into chinese evs, eu sanctions against russia, eu economy is demonstrating weak growth, inflation, recession in the eu. 5 May, 11:21 GMT. "That begs the question as to why the European Commission moves forward such an unpopular and dangerous step that lacks any factual and legal basis," noted Global Times, suggesting that some EU politicians want to use growing tension between Beijing and the bloc for their own political gains - and naming Washington as the major driving force behind the looming EU-China tariff war. "If there is any question about whether China will respond and how it will respond, one can look at how China responded to the US-initiated trade war with China over the past several years. China will not escalate the situation, but make no mistake, its response will be sufficient and felt by the EU side," the newspaper warned. European carmakers which have factories in China are likely to fall prey to a possible trade war.