China to Take Necessary Measures Against Unfair Trade Restrictions

Beijing, 1 January. A spokesperson from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce stated on Thursday that China is ready to collaborate with the European Union to tackle global climate change challenges. However, China will firmly take all necessary measures to respond to any unfair trade restrictions and protect its own development interests, the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises, as well as the stability of global industrial and supply chains.

The European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) will officially come into effect from 1 January 2026. In response, the spokesperson noted that China has paid close attention to the EU’s recent legislative proposals and implementation details related to CBAM, which include setting default values for carbon emission intensity and plans to expand product coverage.

The spokesperson said the European Union has set significantly high default values for the carbon emission intensity of Chinese products, ignoring China’s remarkable achievements in green and low-carbon development. Moreover, this standard is planned to increase annually over the next three years, which does not align with China’s current levels or future development trends and constitutes unfair and discriminatory treatment towards China.

According to the spokesperson, the EU’s actions not only violate the World Trade Organization (WTO) principles of ‘most-favoured-nation treatment’ and ‘national treatment’ but also contradict the principle of ‘common but differentiated responsibilities’ established by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Additionally, the spokesperson mentioned that the EU recently amended its ban on fuel-powered new vehicles to be implemented by 2035, relaxing green regulations within the EU. On one hand, the EU is engaging in external protectionism under the guise of green practices. On the other hand, it is easing rules domestically and reducing emission reduction requirements. This contradictory stance is a clear example of double standards.

The spokesperson expressed hope that the European Union will uphold international rules related to climate and trade, abandon unilateralism and protectionism, maintain open markets, and promote liberalisation and facilitation of trade and investment in the green sector based on fairness, science, and non-discrimination principles.

(Source – China Media Group, Beijing)