The Washington Post mentions that China has accused the European Union of protectionism and “reckless distortion” of the definition of subsidies in response to a new EU investigation into Chinese wind turbine makers.
According to the same source, last week, the EU also announced investigations into two Chinese solar panel makers bidding for a 455-megawatt solar park in Romania. An earlier EU probe into procuring 20 electric trains in Bulgaria was dropped last month after the Chinese bidder withdrew from the competition.
The investigation opened by the European Union on Tuesday is the latest against Chinese companies announced in the past two months under a new EU regulation.
The investigation will examine whether Chinese subsidies give wind turbine companies an unfair advantage in the competition for projects in five member countries: Spain, Greece, France, Romania and Bulgaria.
A Chinese trade official made “solemn representations” in a meeting in Brussels on Wednesday with Martin Lukas, the EU director general for trade defence, the Commerce Ministry said.
“The European side’s reckless distortion of the definition of subsidies, and the lack of openness and transparency in procedural standards during the investigation, is a protectionist act that harms the fair competition environment in the name of fair competition,” the statement said.
A European Chinese business group described the investigations as “an act of economic coercion” that undermines the EU’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
“This action sends a detrimental signal to the world, suggesting discrimination against Chinese enterprises and endorsing protectionism,” the China Chamber of Commerce to the EU said in a statement.