The European Union has recently imposed provisional tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles due to concerns that Chinese firms are benefiting unfairly from government subsidies, allowing them to keep prices artificially low. Despite these tensions, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has arrived in Beijing for a trip aimed at strengthening bilateral political and commercial ties. Sánchez will be meeting with top Chinese officials including President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Qiang while also attending various business meetings and forums.
The visit comes at a sensitive time for EU-China relations as the EU is considering making these tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles permanent in October. In response, Beijing has filed a complaint with the World Trade Organisation. Additionally, China has launched an anti-dumping investigation into pork imports from the EU, a move that could lead to trade restrictions on a sector that is crucial for many European countries, including Spain, the largest pork exporter in Europe.
Sánchez’s trip to China is seen as an opportunity to address these trade issues and strengthen overall relations between the two economic powers. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed willingness to deepen mutual trust through high-level exchanges and collaborate on global challenges. The visit is expected to conclude on Wednesday, with both sides hoping to find common ground on trade and other key issues affecting their relationship.
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