Reference News Network on December 2** According to the German "China Platform" ** on December 1**, Germany ** has reservations about the EU imposition of anti-dumping duties on electric vehicles. Germany** commented on the European Commission's 2024 work plan, saying that tariffs can protect EU industries, but they can also have negative consequences.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen previously announced a countervailing investigation into electric vehicles from China.
But Germany** is concerned that the tariffs will have a negative impact on German manufacturers. The statement did not directly mention German companies, but warned of "direct and indirect" negative consequences.
The background to this statement is that German brands such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Volkswagen account for about 40% of sales in China, and many brands have also established large production capacity in China. And French manufacturers, which are not active in the Chinese market, have been asking the European Union to impose tariffs on electric vehicles from China, as Chinese brands compete with French electric vehicles in Europe and seize market share.
Germany** called for "rules-compliant open investigations" in countervailing procedures and for "taking into account the interests of all countries within the framework of EU interests". The letter stated that, given the political sensitivities, Member States should be closely involved in the process. The letter also explicitly criticized the European Commission. The message from the German side is that the European Commission accepted the pressure exerted by the French authorities.
The Spanish newspaper "The Economist" said on November 30 that Germany's plan to "secede" from China will fail.
According to the report, China, the Asian giant, has long been the main partner of Germany, the "locomotive" of the European economy, and the import and export data between the two countries in 2022 also proves this. But this summer, Germany** launched a strategy that argues that China remains an important partner, but at the same time a competitor and a systemic adversary, and therefore must reduce its dependence on China.
However, this ambitious "de-risking" strategy has already encountered significant obstacles, and the recent unexpected budget crisis in Germany threatens to put it to naught.
The reality is that for Germany, China is the fourth largest export destination after the United States, France and the Netherlands, and it is also Germany's largest importer, which shows the degree of dependence on China. Data from the German Federal Statistical Office show that while Germany's imports from China are growing, exports to China are declining. (Compiled by Nie Litao Tian Ce).