AUTONEWS

Olaf Scholz has only just opened his eyes to the Chinese threat in the German automotive market

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz once again called for “equal opportunities” for German companies in China this Monday, defending fair competition and rejecting the possibility of adopting protectionist measures against Chinese electric cars.

“The issue of equal opportunities is of enormous importance: company rights, conditions of fair competition, access to public tenders. There must be access to public tenders [in China]“, argued Scholz in Shanghai, the economic “capital” of the Asian country, after meeting with company representatives.

Scholz added that when he travels to Beijing on Tuesday, he will discuss the issue with the Chinese President, Xi Jingping, with whom, in addition to geopolitical issues, he will talk about the conditions for fair competition, ecological transformation and investments that are “essential for the economy to develop in a way that increases prosperity and does not harm the environment”.

Asked about the impact on the European market of electric vehicles manufactured in China, the chancellor stressed that the German economy, “one of the most successful exporting countries in the world”, is based on being “globally competitive”.

The European Commission (EC) is investigating subsidies granted to electric car manufacturers by the Chinese state. The investigation could result in the imposition of punitive customs duties, which Scholz has already spoken out against.

German companies “sell everywhere. Everywhere they are involved in supply chains, relationships and investments,” he said.

“Our model is to be so competitive that we can beat the competition everywhere”, he reiterated, which is why Germany is committed to “fair conditions of competition” and not “protectionism”.

During his meeting with Xi, Scholz will also call on China to stop supplying dual-use civilian and military assets to Russia, as “no one should contribute” to Moscow’s “war of conquest” in Ukraine.

“From China's point of view, these products are used for civilian purposes, but in reality Russia uses them for military purposes. We have to look into this issue well,” he noted.

The chancellor, who began his second official visit to China last Saturday, accompanied by German officials responsible for the environment, Steffi Lemke, transport and digitalization, Volker Wissing, and agriculture, Cem Özdemir, will return to Germany after visiting Beijing on Tuesday , the last stage of your journey.

by Mundoquatrorodas