On October 12, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce stated that China and the EU have maintained dialogue under the trade and investment consultation mechanism and reached consensus on multiple outcomes, which is conducive to maintaining a stable and balanced key trade partnership between China and Europe.
In accordance with the principles of mutual respect and equal consultation, the two sides 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 under the trade and investment consultation mechanism on hybrid vehicle and electric vehicle trade, avoiding an escalation of the situation. Some foreign media have speculated about details such as the quantity of hybrid vehicle trade arrangements. What is China's comment?
The spokesperson said that regarding hybrid vehicles, both sides emphasized and confirmed three basic principles.
First, respect facts. According to Eurostat data, the EU imported 107,000 hybrid vehicles from China in 2024 and 302,000 in 2025. The two 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 measure will specifically target Chinese products, and Chinese enterprises must not be treated discriminatorily. 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, including resorting to dispute settlement and requesting trade compensation under the WTO framework. These three basic principles run throughout and are 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 countervailing 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 procedures related to 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 effectively safeguards the practical interests of Chinese enterprises, avoids the escalation of China-EU trade frictions, and also provides a stable, predictable, and sustainable trade and investment environment for both sides, which is conducive to the stable, balanced, and healthy development of bilateral economic and trade relations.
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