TMTPost -- Heads of two leading European economies call on the European Union to push back the additional tariffs on electric vehicle (EV) imports from China, a catalyst that is escalating the trade friction between China and the bloc.

Credit：Xinhua News Agency

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the EU should reconsider its plan to impose additional tariffs of up to 36 percent on Chinese-made EVs ."I have to be blunt and frank with you that we need to reconsider — all of us, not only member states but also the Commission — our position towards this movement," Sanchez told reporters on Wednesday before concluding a four-day trip in China.

"We don't need another war, in this case a trade war," Sánchez said in Kunshan, China. "I think we need to build bridges between the European Union and China, and from Spain what we will do is to be constructive and to try to find a solution, a compromise, between China and the European Commission."

Sánchez made the remarks following his meetings with Chinese senior officials. During his meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping Monday, Sánchez said Spain supports the principles of free trade and open markets, disagrees with trade wars, and is willing to continue playing a positive role in promoting the sound development of EU-China relations.Sánchez expressed the hope that the two sides will strengthen people-to-people and cultural exchanges and deepen cooperation in such fields as economy, trade and new energy vehicles, reported the state news media Xinhua News Agency.

According to Sánchez, China is a key force in safeguarding world peace and development and plays an important, constructive role in resolving major international and regional issues. The Spanish side views its relations with China from a strategic height, firmly pursues the one-China policy, is willing to be a trustworthy partner of China, and looks forward to further deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership between Spain and China and making greater contributions to the well-being of the two peoples, world peace and prosperity.

"We hope that Spain will continue to provide a fair, equitable, safe and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies to invest and do business in," Xi told Sánchez. The President said China and Spain should give full play to platforms such as the Mixed Committee on Economy and Trade and the Joint Commission on Science and Technology to jointly promote development in high-tech fields such as artificial intelligence, digital economy and new energy to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results. 

It is Sánchez’s second triip in 18 months and comes during a trade fall-out with the EU over electric cars. Sánchez became the first to demand a rethink to the impending trade measures. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz joined his calling for the EU to drop its new EV tariff plan. German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit welcomed the Spanish move, saying “the direction of travel is one that we share.”

China appreciates Prime Minister Sanchez’s statements, which reflect his rational and objective thinking, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning commented at a regular press conference Thursday. The development of the EV sector is in the interest of both China and the EU, so the two sides need to work together and jointly face challenges, which will benefit our companies and consumers, and turbocharge the green transition in China, Europe, and even the world, Mao said. China hope the EU  will listen more to the rational and objective voices, fully recognize the complementarity and cooperation potential of China and the EU in the EV sector, show flexibility and sincerity, and work with us to properly settle trade frictions through dialogue and consultation and promote the sound and steady growth of China-EU trade ties, said Mao.