France’s foreign trade minister has said the window for negotiation with Beijing over tariffs on European brandy remains open but warned Paris could take “all possible measures” in response.
In October, Beijing announced provisional tariffs on European Union brandy imports, part of an escalating trade row between Beijing and Brussels.
Most Chinese imports of the spirit come from France and the country’s cognac makers have begged Paris to put an end to the spat, describing themselves “hostages”.
Speaking to journalists in Shanghai on Monday, French Foreign Trade Minister Sophie Primas said: “France is in favour of negotiations, obviously. We are not in an escalating trade war, so we need to enter negotiations.”
This followed an hour-and-a-quarter-long meeting Primas had with China’s commerce minister Wang Wentao on Sunday evening ahead of a major trade show.
Primas underlined that she had told Wang France was prepared “to take all possible technical and legal measures”.
“We don’t want it to come to that,” she stressed.
“The window for negotiation… is clearly open,” she said, adding that she expected high-level talks to take place soon.
EU – China tariff spat
In a post on social media, Primas said she had conveyed “one simple thing” to Minister Wang: “Europe refuses trade escalation, continues its exchanges, but will not yield to pressure on essential points.”
The EV measures reportedly featured prominently in Primas and Wang’s discussions.
A second phase of consultations over the measures between the EU and China recently began.
(With wires)
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