Brussels, 27/05/2013 (Agence Europe) - China appears to have hit back at recent anti-dumping and anti-subsidy actions and investigations by the EU against its solar panels and telecoms equipments with a new anti-dumping procedure against European chemical products.
On 26 May, the Chinese Ministry for Trade announced the launch of high-level discussions with the Commission on commercial tensions between the two. The Chinese deputy minister for trade, Zhong Shan, and the head of the Directorate General for Trade of the Commission, Jean-Luc Demarty, are reported to have met on Monday.
The risk of a trade war between the EU and China was stepped up last week, with the Commission changing its stance in favour of a more stringent approach towards Beijing, as shown by its plans firstly to impose heavy taxes on imports of Chinese solar panels which benefit from dumping practices and subsidies, and secondly to investigate (without any prior complaint by the industry) the unfair trade practices which benefit the Chinese producers of telecoms equipment, Huawei and ZTE.
It has been reported in several media that China last week notified the Commission of the new anti-dumping procedure against European chemical products, two substances derived from chlorine, perchloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene. This involves several European groups, including Solvay and the European arm of the American Dow Chemical, but a similar procedure is believed to be in place against the US. This is the second anti-dumping procedure launched by Beijing against the EU in less than two weeks. In early May, China launched an anti-dumping investigation against European producers of seamless tubes.
Solar - Germany against sanctions. Meeting Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang in Berlin on Monday, German Economy Minister Philipp Rösler confirmed Berlin's reluctance to impose anti-dumping taxes on Chinese solar panels. “From our point of view, sanction measures are no longer necessary and this is what Germany said 'no' to today”, said Rösler, who added that he had asked the Commission last Friday to give him extra time to return an opinion, following dialogue with the Chinese party. (EH/transl.fl)