An NEV is being charged. Photo: VCG

In the anti-subsidy investigation of Chinese electric vehicles (EVs), the European Commission's sampling standards are not compliant, the sampling process is not transparent, the sampling results are unfair, and the relevant practices are suspected of violating WTO rules and EU laws, which is a discriminatory move against Chinese EV companies and will seriously distort the results of the probe, China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Thursday.

The Chinese side has noted that the European Commission did not adopt the representative criterion of maximum export volume, and only selected three local Chinese enterprises as sample enterprises of the anti-subsidy investigation involving Chinese EVs, He Yadong, a MOFCOM spokesperson, told a press briefing on Thursday.

"In addition, the European Commission excludes EU member states' enterprises that present the highest production and sales in its sample of EU industries. This practice is against the norm, and the sampling results cannot represent the objective situation of the industry in the EU," He added.

He Yadong, a spokesperson of China’s Ministry of Commerce, on November 16, 2023 Photo: Chi Jingyi/GT

The spokesperson noted that the European Commission launched its own anti-subsidy investigation in the face of clear opposition from the industry within the EU, falsely claiming that Chinese EVs threatening and harming EU's EV industry, which completely ignores the close cooperation between Chinese and European automotive industries.

"The Chinese (EV) industry is disappointed and dissatisfied with the Commission's practice of presupposing investigation results and black-box operations," He said.

China urges the EU to strictly abide by WTO rules and EU laws, correct its wrong practices as soon as possible, ensure the investigation is open, fair, fair and compliant, and fully protect the legitimate rights and interests of involved companies, the MOFCOM spokesperson said.

Global Times