China has called on several of its carmakers to halt investments in EU countries that have supported punitive tariffs against Chinese electric cars, Reuters reports.
The British news agency recalled that France, Italy, and Poland backed the measure in the vote, five countries including Hungary and Germany opposed it, and twelve others abstained. The article pointed out that the decision could hurt Paris and Rome, which has been negotiating with several Chinese car makers for major investments.
Reuters adds that BYD is already building a factory in Hungary and is considering moving its Dutch headquarters to the country.
On Thursday, punitive tariffs against Chinese electric cars came into force in the European Union. Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó reacted to the measure on social media:
"The European Commission led by President Ursula von der Leyen has put the European Union in a difficult position: the last five years of a cane run have left the EU less secure, less competitive, and politically less weighty than in 2019.
The Commission President bears clear responsibility for dragging Europe into a losing war, for diminishing the EU's relevance in the global economy and world politics.
The outgoing European Commission will deliver another coup de grace to the European economy before he leaves, by taking another blow to European competitiveness by imposing extra tariffs on Chinese electric car players, ignoring the views of Member States and the industry's biggest companies.
The legitimate question is: in whose interests is this in the interests of whom? Certainly not the EU countries, because only 10 out of 27 voted in favour. Nor for the European car manufacturers: the biggest players in the car industry are protesting hand and foot against the measure, because the success of the European electromobility strategy is hard to imagine without cooperation with Chinese suppliers.
So if the measure is not in the interests of either European countries or car manufacturers, why are they taking it? To harm, as they have done for five years."
