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According to CCTV News on August 21, the European Commission released a preliminary disclosure of the final ruling on the anti-subsidy investigation of electric vehicles from China, proposing to impose a five-year anti-subsidy tax of 17% to 36.3% on pure electric vehicles produced in China by China and the EU. At the same time, according to the Ministry of Commerce website on August 21, China launched an anti-subsidy investigation on some dairy products originating from the EU, involving 20 subsidy projects provided by the EU and its member states.

The trade dispute between China and Europe has triggered concerns among EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Borrell about a "trade war" between China and Europe.

According to the South China Morning Post on August 21, Borrell expressed his concerns about the trade frictions between China and Europe at an event in Spain on the 20th, saying that the current trade tensions between China and Europe will not only affect the economic development of both sides, but may also further increase the uncertainty of the global supply chain. He is worried that the "trade war" between China and Europe may be "inevitable."

But he also insisted the EU had no intention of "containing China's rise", adding: "We cannot engage in a systematic confrontation with China."

The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China also issued a statement on the social platform on August 22, expressing strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to the European Commission's proposal to impose tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, and reiterated that the competitiveness of Chinese-made electric vehicles is not due to subsidies, but driven by factors such as industrial scale, comprehensive supply chain advantages and fierce market competition. The statement also urged the EU to promote free trade and support the global green transformation by canceling anti-subsidy tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, which will make a positive contribution to the global response to climate change.

A commentary published by CCTV News pointed out that the EU's anti-subsidy investigation on Chinese electric vehicles was initiated by the European Commission in October last year. It lacked EU industry applications, clearly violated market wishes, and was non-compliant and opaque in its operation. Although the EU slightly reduced the proposed tax rates for some Chinese automakers in the final ruling, its core position has not changed and it continues to advocate high tariffs.

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Commerce responded quickly to the EU's decision to impose additional tariffs, expressing their firm opposition to the EU's unilateral trade protectionism. The spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that the EU's move was a trade protectionist act that damaged the normal economic and trade relations between China and the EU and would eventually backfire on the EU itself. China has always been committed to resolving trade disputes through dialogue and consultation, but will also take necessary measures to defend the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies. The Ministry of Commerce pointed out that China will take all necessary measures to protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies, and has brought the EU's temporary anti-subsidy measures on electric vehicles to the WTO dispute settlement mechanism.

On the 21st, the head of the Trade Remedy Investigation Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce answered questions from reporters about the anti-subsidy investigation launched against imported dairy products originating from the EU. He said that the investigation was initiated in response to an application from the domestic dairy industry. After review, the Ministry of Commerce believed that the conditions for filing an anti-subsidy investigation were met and decided to formally launch the investigation. The Ministry of Commerce stated that the investigation will be conducted in accordance with the law, fully safeguard the rights of all stakeholders, and make an objective and fair ruling based on the investigation results.

The EU's imposition of tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles has also attracted criticism from EU member states. Michael Schumann, chairman of the German Federal Association for Economic Development and Foreign Trade, wrote in People's Daily on August 22 that the EU's decision to impose tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles is wrong, which is not conducive to Europe's low-carbon transformation and may also have a negative impact on the German economy. Schumann called on the EU to abandon trade protectionism and strengthen cooperation with China to jointly address the challenges of climate change and energy transformation.

The CCTV commentary pointed out that the EU needs to listen carefully to internal voices, weigh the pros and cons, and speed up discussions with China on appropriate solutions to avoid escalating trade frictions and affecting mutual trust and cooperation between China and the EU. Otherwise, the EU will lose more than it gains.