China’s Premier Li Qiang has sought to counter western criticism of the country’s industrial strategy, saying the country’s exports were a benefit to world trade.
Speaking at a World Economic Forum event in the city of Dalian, Li said that China’s production of new energy products such as lithium batteries and electric vehicles, which has soared in recent years, was “enriching global supply”. His comments come weeks after the EU unveiled tariffs of up to 38 per cent on EVs made in China and as tensions between Beijing and the West escalate.
Li also stressed the openness of China’s market at a time when complaints over foreign access have intensified and the role of the government — and the hefty subsidies it gives to industry — has come under scrutiny in Washington and Brussels.