China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged the European Union to provide a fair and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises following the EU’s move to restrict Chinese medical device suppliers from accessing the bloc’s public procurement market.
On Monday, EU member states reportedly approved a measure mandating a ban on Chinese bidders for contracts worth more than 5 million euros (approximately $5.4 million) for the next five years. The decision came after an investigation published in January by the European Commission allegedly found that Chinese companies favored domestic devices.
During a regular briefing on Tuesday, ministry spokesperson Lin Jian addressed the issue. While advising reporters to refer to specific authorities for detailed information, Lin reiterated China’s commitment to open trade. “China has always adhered to high-level opening up, upheld the principles of the market economy and trade rules, and advocated resolving trade disputes through dialogue and consultation,” Lin stated.
He added, “The EU has long portrayed itself as the world’s most open market, but in reality, it is increasingly embracing protectionism, frequently resorting to unilateral trade tools and engaging in unfair competition under the guise of open competition, a typical example of double standards.”
The investigation reportedly found that 87% of a sample of Chinese public tenders contained direct and indirect restrictions on imported devices. The new EU restrictions are likely to heighten tensions, especially given existing EU tariffs on China-built electric vehicles and Chinese measures concerning EU brandy, according to Reuters.
EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic was scheduled to meet Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao in Paris on Tuesday, as outlined in Sefcovic’s agenda. Meanwhile, the China Chamber of Commerce to the EU expressed “profound disappointment” over the decision. The chamber stated that the move failed to acknowledge the significant access European medical device firms have enjoyed in China, as reported by China’s Xinhua News Agency.
