BEIJING (Reuters) – China hopes Austrian enterprises will have the confidence to invest in China and cooperate with Chinese partners, even as the European Union plans tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, according to a commerce ministry statement.
Automobiles form an important area of economic and trade cooperation between China and Austria, with production and supply chains deeply intertwined, Chinese vice commerce minister Ling Ji said in a meeting with Austria’s labour and economy minister, Martin Kocher.
The vice minister said the European Commission’s anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese EVs had “seriously affected” auto industry cooperation between China and the European Union.
“Hope the European side will show sincerity, and move in the same direction as Chinese side, reach a mutually acceptable solution,” Ling said.
(Editing by Bernadette Baum)