China's Ministry of Commerce spokesperson stated on the 12th that China and the EU have maintained continuous dialogue under the trade and investment consultation mechanism, reaching multiple consensus outcomes that are conducive to maintaining a stable and balanced key trade partnership between China and the EU.
Both sides, guided by the principles of mutual respect and equal consultation, conducted intensive consultations on hybrid vehicle and electric vehicle trade, balancing economic and trade differences and each other's concerns.
A reporter asked: Recently, China and the EU held in-depth discussions on hybrid vehicle and electric vehicle trade under the trade and investment consultation mechanism, avoiding escalation of the situation. Some foreign media have speculated about details such as the volume of hybrid vehicle trade arrangements. What is China's comment on this?
The spokesperson said that regarding hybrid vehicles, both sides emphasized and confirmed three fundamental principles.
First, respecting facts. According to Eurostat data, the EU imported 107,000 hybrid vehicles from China in 2024 and 302,000 in 2025. Both sides reached an upward arrangement based on 2025 levels, ensuring export space and stable growth for Chinese enterprises, and accommodating the reasonable concerns of both sides' industries based on reality.
Second, non-discrimination. No measures will specifically target Chinese products, nor will Chinese enterprises be treated in a discriminatory manner. The quota obtained by China will not be lower than that of any other source of imports for the EU side.
Third, compliance. Both sides confirmed that trade arrangements should conform to WTO rules. China reserves all rights to resort to dispute settlement and demand trade compensation under the WTO framework. These three fundamental principles run throughout and serve as a solid foundation for safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.
The spokesperson stated that regarding electric vehicles, China and the EU achieved a "soft landing" in the anti-subsidy case in January this year, and the EU side issued general guidance documents on price undertakings. In this regard, the EU side will continue to advance the relevant procedures for enterprise price undertakings in the electric vehicle case, as well as other review procedures.
The spokesperson pointed out that on the basis of reciprocity and mutual benefit, the above consensus has effectively safeguarded the practical interests of Chinese enterprises, avoided escalation of China-EU trade friction, and provided both sides with a stable, predictable, and sustainable trade and investment environment, contributing to the stable, balanced, and healthy development of bilateral economic and trade relations.
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