Robert Habeck, German Vice Chancellor, Visits China
Expected to Emphasize Germany's Critical Stance on EU Measures
Amid rising tensions over the EU's discussion of imposing high import tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles sold in the European Union, Robert Habeck, Germany's Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, began a three-day visit to China on the 21st.
According to Bloomberg and other sources on the 22nd, Habeck arrived in Beijing after concluding his visit to South Korea the previous afternoon. He is the first senior European official to visit China since the EU announced plans to raise tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles by up to 48%. During his visit, scheduled until the 23rd, Vice Chancellor Habeck is set to hold talks with senior Chinese economic and industrial officials, including Wang Wentao, Minister of Commerce, and Zheng Shanjie, Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission. However, a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, which the German side had hoped for, is not expected to take place.
Robert Habeck, German Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Photo by Yonhap News
As the largest automobile producer in Europe, Germany has maintained a critical stance on the EU's decision to impose tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. Habeck is expected to emphasize this position in his discussions with Chinese officials, focusing on minimizing the damage to German companies caused by the EU's tariff measures. China is Germany's largest trading partner, with German automakers such as Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW heavily reliant on the Chinese market, the world's largest automobile market.
Vice Chancellor Habeck is also expected to raise concerns about the Chinese government's subsidies to domestic companies.
Upon his arrival in Beijing, he told reporters, "I want to emphasize the issue of subsidies provided by the Chinese government," adding, "This means that goods are produced at prices below their actual market value and then sold in Germany and Europe, thereby damaging the European market."
Habeck, a member of the Green Party and coalition partner in the German government, also pointed out the need to update Germany's China strategy document, which was adopted for the first time last year. In a speech at the German Embassy in Beijing, he criticized the document as "short-sighted and lacking a comprehensive approach for the whole of Europe." Following Beijing, he is also scheduled to visit Shanghai.
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