BEIJING, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- China welcomes European automakers to continue investing in China and collaborating with Chinese partners to promote the auto industry's green, intelligent transition, according to China's Vice Commerce Minister Ling Ji.
Ling made the remarks during two recent video meetings, the first with Hildegard Muller, president of the German Association of the Automotive Industry, and the second with Ola Kallenius, president of the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association and chairman of the board of management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, the ministry said in an online statement on Monday.
Noting that the Chinese and European auto industries are deeply integrated, Ling expressed hope that German and European auto associations would leverage their influence to encourage the European Commission to work with China on finding a proper resolution to the European Union (EU)'s anti-subsidy investigation into electric vehicles as soon as possible.
Muller said that auto cooperation between Germany and China has yielded fruitful results, according to the statement.
German automakers are continuously increasing their investments in China and deepening strategic cooperation with Chinese partners, she said, adding that the association opposes the EU's imposition of countervailing tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles.
Kallenius noted that European automakers, including Mercedes-Benz, have been steadily increasing their localization efforts in recent years, and have integrated deeply into the development of China's auto production and supply chains.
He expressed hope that both sides would adopt a pragmatic approach to finding a solution in the electric vehicle anti-subsidy case, and that they would strengthen cooperation in industrial and supply chains. ■
