EU envoy heads to Beijing to curb cheap hybrid car imports as China warns on protectionism

EU negotiators arrived in Beijing Wednesday seeking to curb cheap Chinese hybrid car imports as Beijing warned against expanding European trade protection tools.

• EU trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič flew to Beijing on Wednesday for talks through Friday aimed at curbing cheap Chinese hybrid car imports.
• Chancellor Friedrich Merz and President Emmanuel Macron agreed Monday to back a new EU instrument enabling swift trade defence, including restricting single-market access.
• China's commerce ministry warned France and Germany against expanding EU trade protection tools, urging adherence to WTO rules and free trade.
• China launched an Oct 3 anti-dumping investigation into EU para-nitrotoluene imports after Brussels opened three similar probes on Chinese chemicals.
• The European Commission is reportedly preparing temporary protective measures, potentially including customs quotas on Chinese-made hybrid car imports.
• The potential restrictions boosted European automakers' stocks, including Volkswagen and Renault, amid ongoing EU-China trade negotiations.
• Šefčovič met Chinese Trade Minister Wang Wentao to discuss an EU trade deficit exceeding one billion euros per day, about 360 billion euros annually.
• Brussels is seeking a voluntary cap on Chinese industrial exports, market access for European services, and eased rare-earth export restrictions.