China’s trade ministry said on Thursday that the European Commission’s eight-month anti-subsidy inquiry has yielded unprecedented amounts of precise information about the supply chains of Chinese automakers, information that may potentially hinder fair competition.

In an effort to counteract excessive Chinese subsidies, the European Commission, which is in charge of trade policy for the powerful 27-nation European Union, declared on June 12 that it will start levying additional taxes of up to 38.1% on Chinese electric vehicle imports in July.

After trying their best to comply, Chinese automakers were “shocked and disappointed” by the decision, according to a spokesman for the Chinese trade ministry.

In response to a question from Chinese state media about whether the Commission had attempted to eavesdrop on its electric vehicle industry, He Yadong stated, “The type, scope, and quantity of information collected by the European side was unprecedented and far more than what is required for a countervailing duties investigation.”

The spokeswoman said, “The Commission asked Chinese automakers to provide information about sourcing raw materials for batteries, manufacturing components, pricing, and developing sales channels.”

The Chinese state media published an article on Wednesday implying that the Commission was only conducting a symbolic investigation because of the “many unreasonable demands made during this inquiry” and that it was an attempt to spy on Chinese automakers.

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The action taken by the Commission, according to He Yadong, “lacks legal basis, and damages the global green transition and open cooperation” on Thursday.

He said, “China will take all necessary steps to protect the legitimate rights and interests of its firms.”

(Adapted from AutoNews.com

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