EU urged to treat Chinese firms fairly

China has urged the European Union to immediately stop its unreasonable actions against Chinese companies operating within the bloc and use the Foreign Subsidies Regulation investigation tool prudently, said the Ministry of Commerce.

Speaking at a weekly news briefing in Beijing on Thursday, He Yadong, spokesman for the ministry, said China noted that the European Commission — the EU's executive body — has recently launched a series of FSR investigations targeting Chinese businesses.

These measures include in-depth investigations into CRRC Corp and Nuctech, alongside on-site inspections of Chinese digital platforms, said the Ministry of Commerce.

"Such actions demonstrate selective targeting and discriminatory practices," said He, stressing that China strongly opposes these moves, will closely monitor the EU's actions and will take necessary measures to firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.

In response to the EU's actions, Chinese security equipment maker Nuctech said in a statement last week that it operated independently on a market-oriented basis and fully complied with EU and international laws.

"We will continue cooperating with the European Commission to ensure the facts are assessed accurately and impartially," said the Beijing-based company, adding that it reserved the right to take all necessary legal measures to protect its legitimate interests.

He, from the Ministry of Commerce, said that China and the EU are currently engaged in consultations on price issues concerning Chinese-made electric vehicles, and China's position has remained consistent.

The spokesman added that the country stands ready to properly address differences through dialogue and consultation with the EU and advance the formulation of an industry-wide solution.

The two sides should seek to resolve the issue at an early date through dialogue and consultation, accommodate each other's legitimate concerns, and foster an open and stable market environment for the development of China-EU industries, he said.

Zheng Chunrong, deputy secretary-general of the Chinese Association for European Studies in Beijing, said that China and the EU are deeply integrated across industrial and commercial sectors, with complementary strengths in technology, capital and market demand.

Whether Sino-EU business ties can progress steadily will depend not only on shifts in the global economic and trade order, but also on how China and the EU perceive and interact with one another, said Zheng.

That level of interdependence is underscored by the latest trade data. Sino-EU trade rose 5.4 percent year-on-year to 5.37 trillion yuan ($762.68 billion) in the first 11 months, accounting for 13 percent of China's total trade value during this period, said China's General Administration of Customs.

In another development, the Ministry of Commerce said it has received and approved applications for general export licenses covering rare earth-related items from some Chinese exporters.

Since China implemented export controls on rare earth-related items, the government has carried out policy briefings for domestic exporters. With growing experience in exports and compliance, some Chinese companies now meet the basic requirements for applying for general licenses, according to the ministry.