Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs
China's Foreign Ministry (FM) said on Monday that China's countermeasures against Canada's discriminatory restrictive measures on some Chinese imports are "fully necessary, justified, reasonable and lawful," urging Ottawa to take concrete steps to correct its "wrongdoings."
Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the FM, made the remarks during a regular press briefing on Monday when asked about the status of the China-Canada relationship after China imposed tariffs on some Canadian agricultural goods on Saturday.
"In disregard of China's repeated persuasion, Canada has insisted on taking discriminatory restrictive measures on some Chinese imports. This seriously violates WTO rules, disrupts normal trade order, and gravely harms China's lawful rights and interests," Mao said, "the countermeasures China has taken are fully necessary, justified, reasonable and lawful."
On Saturday, China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said that an investigation into Canada's unilateral restrictive measures against certain Chinese products, including electric vehicles (EVs), found that relevant Canadian measures constitute discriminatory restrictions, affecting the normal trade order and harming the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises. A MOFCOM spokesperson said that China has decided to impose tariffs on certain Canadian products.
Subsequently, the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council announced a 100 percent tariff rate on rapeseed oil, oilcake and peas from Canada and a 25 percent tariff on aquatic products and pork from Canada.
Canada announced in August 2024 a 100-percent surtax on all Chinese-made EVs, and a 25-percent surtax on imports of steel and aluminum products from China, prompting Chinese authorities to initiate an anti-discrimination probe in September, according to Xinhua. Canada's move followed US and EU tariff hikes against Chinese EVs last year.
The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) also expressed resolute support for the MOFCOM's decision, stating that the ruling complies with WTO rules and is a legitimate step to safeguard industry development.
The CAAM also voiced strong opposition to Canada's unilateral tariff hikes in an online statement, criticizing it for breaching WTO rules and "blindly following other nations' lead." Such actions "undermine the security and stability of the global automotive supply chain, hinder normal cooperation between the Chinese and Canadian auto industries, and significantly harm the interests of Canadian consumers," per the statement.
China's EV industry thrives on its inherent strengths and open competition, earning widespread popularity among global consumers, including Canadians, while significantly contributing to climate change solutions and the green transition, the CAAM emphasized.
Despite facing external suppression, China's EV industry continues to show robust growth momentum. According to latest data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), domestic retail sales of new-energy passenger vehicles reached 686,000 units in February, up 79.7 percent year-on-year.
The CPCA predicts that China's passenger vehicle market will continue to experience strong growth in March, with new-energy vehicles (NEVs) serving as the primary driving force, while the traditional fuel vehicle market is expected to continue its decline.
Notably, NEV exports reached 118,000 units last month, a year-on-year rise of 27.8 percent. "With scaling advantages and expanding markets, more Chinese-made NEV brands are gaining traction overseas," the CPCA said in a post on its official WeChat account on Monday.
"Despite recent disruptions from certain countries, exports of domestically developed plug-in hybrids to developing markets are growing rapidly, with a bright outlook ahead," the CPCA said.
Global Times
