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China may respond with countermeasures after the 27-nation European Union announced a ban on Chinese firms participating in the majority of public tenders for medical devices, the commerce ministry stated on Tuesday, maintaining tensions ahead of an upcoming key summit next month.

The European Commission announced last Friday that Chinese firms would be barred from bidding for public tenders worth 60 billion euros ($69.63 billion) or more, citing a lack of fair access for EU firms in the Chinese market.

“The European side has persisted in using unilateral tools to build new protectionist barriers, which not only harms the interests of Chinese enterprises, but also seriously undermines fair competition,” the ministry said in a statement.

“China will take necessary steps to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.”

The leaders of the world’s second- and third-largest economies are set to meet in China next month for a summit, with EU tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles, China’s investigation into EU brandy imports, and restrictions on the export of rare earth elements on the agenda.

On Monday in Brussels, the EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called for a “dose of realism” in EU–China relations, telling reporters that China has engaged in coercive trade practices and cyberattacks targeting the EU.


Source: Reuters