China’s new Premier Li Keqiang has won Germany’s backing for his country’s campaign against the European Commission’s plans to impose punitive import tariffs on Chinese solar panels and telecommunication equipment.
As Li wrapped up in Berlin on his maiden foreign tour, which took him also to India, Pakistan and Switzerland, the German government assured him that it will not support the commission’s efforts to levy tariffs on the Chinese products for violating the EU’s anti-dumping and anti-subsidy guidelines.
Germany has already voiced its opposition to the tariffs plan and conveyed to the commission that it will not join, Mr.
Philipp Roesler, Economy Minister and Deputy Chancellor said at a meeting with Li.
Protectionism is not the answer to the trade dispute with China and it must be resolved through negotiations, Roesler said.
The EU commission had accused China of selling solar panels and mobile telecommunication equipment in Europe at a price below the production costs and thereby hurting domestic industries.
The commission had also threatened to open an investigation against Chinese producers of mobile telecommunication devices on similar charges and for benefiting from government subsidies.
EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht announced earlier that he intended to impose levies averaging 47 per cent on the solar panels.
It could affect Chinese solar panels worth about 21 million euros imported into the EU.