China's Commerce Minister Wang Wentao meets with Ola Kallenius, president of the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association and chairman of the board of management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, in Beijing on March 21, 2025. Photo: Courtesy of the Ministry of Commerce

China and the EU both have the willingness and ability to resolve differences through consultation in accordance with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, creating a stable and predictable trade and economic environment for the development and cooperation of both industries, China's Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said on Friday.

The minister made the remarks in Beijing when meeting with Ola Kallenius, president of the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) and chairman of the board of management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, during which the two sides exchanged views on the Mercedes-Benz Group's cooperation with China and the EU's anti-subsidy case regarding Chinese electric vehicles (EV).

Wang emphasized that China and the EU are the backbone of the WTO, and properly addressing the EU's anti-subsidy case regarding Chinese EVs is of great significance to the current China-EU relationship. Doing so will send a positive and clear signal to the world, the minister said.

Both China and the EU are advocates of multilateralism and free trade, and should work to build consensus, strengthen cooperation, and clearly oppose unilateralism and protectionism, Wang said, noting that together, both China and the EU should safeguard the stability of global industrial and supply chains and promote the healthy and orderly development of the world economy.

Also at the meeting, the commerce minister told Kallenius that China appreciates that the Mercedes-Benz Group has made a rational appeal on behalf of the European industry and hopes it will continue urging the EU to take concrete actions, work together with China, and reach a mutually acceptable solution as soon as possible.

Kallenius stated that the Chinese market is of strategic importance to the Mercedes-Benz Group, and the company is willing to continue expanding its investment in China, deepen cooperation with Chinese partners, and jointly address global economic and trade challenges.

The European automotive industry values cooperation with China, closely follows the China-EU EV case, and hopes that both sides can reach a consensus through dialogue and consultation at an early stage, the German industry representative said.

Global Times