China appeals to WTO over EU's final ruling of countervailing measures on Chinese EVs: commerce ministry

China

China appeals to WTO over EU's final ruling of countervailing measures on Chinese EVs: commerce ministry

2024-11-04 20:56 Last Updated At：11-05 14:57

China on Monday appealed to the World Trade Organization (WTO) against the European Union's final ruling of countervailing measures on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs), according to China’s commerce ministry.

China has previously brought the EU's initial anti-subsidy measures on EVs to the WTO.

China regrets to see that despite a barrage of objections raised by relevant parties, including the governments of EU member states, the industry and the public, the EU has still issued final measures of imposing high countervailing duties on Chinese-made EVs, said a spokesperson of the ministry, adding that China firmly opposes this.

To safeguard the development interests of the EV industry and global cooperation on green transformation, China decided to make the appeal to the WTO dispute settlement mechanism, according to the spokesperson.

The EU's final countervailing measures lack factual and legal basis and violate WTO rules, which is an abuse of trade remedy measures and is a practice of trade protectionism in the name of countervailing, the spokesperson said.

China urges the EU to face up to its mistakes and immediately correct its illegal practices, to jointly safeguard the stability of the global EV industrial and supply chains, as well as the overall economic and trade cooperation between the two sides, according to the spokesperson.

The European Commission, the executive arm of the 27-nation EU, announced on October 29 that it had concluded its anti-subsidy investigation and decided to impose a definitive countervailing duty on imports of new battery EVs from China for a period of five years.

The sampled Chinese companies will be subjected to different countervailing duties, specifically, 17.0 percent on BYD, 18.8 percent on Geely, and 35.3 percent on SAIC.

Sci-tech services add new appeal to spring tourism

From augmented reality (AR) cycling glasses to autonomous boats and drone deliveries, sci-tech applications are making spring outings in China more appealing, convenient and smarter, boosting the country's tourism sector.

The ancient city wall in Xi'an, the provincial capital of Shaanxi in northwest China, has deployed smart autonomous boats carrying tourists smoothly through the moat beneath the wall. Some passengers take photos of the scenery, while others brew tea on board, enjoying the relaxation in spring.

"I think the smart boats are more convenient, and the speed is just right. It allows people to focus more on the scenery," said a tourist surnamed Mr. Wang.

On the ancient wall, visitors renting bicycles can simultaneously rent AR-enabled smart glasses. As they ride, the glasses automatically trigger audio guides for sights in view, making every detail of the wall more vivid and engaging.

"Since launching the smart boats and AR cycling glasses, tourists on average stay 30 percent longer than before," said Zhu Yuan, head of the cultural and tourism development of the Xi'an City Wall management committee.

In Hundred Springs Yuanshui Park in Xingtai City, north China's Hebei Province, visitors stroll among the springs while experiencing immersive attractions such as glass-free giant-screen theaters and cinemas with six degrees of freedom (6-DOF) motion systems, exploring the area's historical evolution.

"It feels like flying over the springs and a sea of flowers. The perspective is very novel and stunning. It's my first time experiencing sightseeing this way, and it's very interesting," said a visitor.

In the Huangshan scenic area in east China's Anhui Province, technology is also enhancing the visitor experience, with drones offering delivery services in parks and on-demand unmanned vending vehicles providing instant services.