French economist sees China, Europe as both competitors, partners in EV industry

Europe has much to gain from cooperation with China in the electric vehicle (EV) sector, as the two sides are not just competitors but also partners, said a French economist.

In a recent interview with the China Media Group (CMG) in Paris, Hubert Testard, an economist at Sciences Po and former economic and financial affairs counselor at the French Embassy in China, emphasized that imposing tariffs on Chinese EVs will create trade barriers and erode trust, ultimately harming both economies.

Noting China's rapid technological progress in the EV sector, Testard said that the growing presence of Chinese brands in Europe reflects their ability to quickly adopt new innovations, rather than representing unfair competition.

"We welcome investment, and overall, there is no hostility towards Chinese brands in Europe. In fact, countries like France and Germany, along with Japan, have fallen behind in the EV race. China, in less than a decade, has made huge strides in technology. This isn't unfair competition, but a demonstration of China's ability to quickly apply new innovations. Europe has been caught off guard, but we are now making efforts to close the gap," he said.

Citing the cooperation between French automakers and Chinese companies, Testard highlighted that these partnerships have brought significant benefits to French firms.

"For Europe's auto industry, it's clear that if we don't successfully transition to electrification, our market share in the continent will shrink. This is critical for Europe. We have already recognized this, and have invested heavily in this sector. Moreover, Europe has engaged in substantial technological cooperation with China. So, the relationship between Europe and China isn't just about competition, there's a strong collaborative aspect as well," he added.

China's EV industry is currently facing a series of unilateral trade restrictions in key export markets. In May 2024, the United States raised tariffs on Chinese-made EVs from 25 percent to 100 percent. In July, the European Union imposed a provisional anti-subsidy tariff of up to 37.6 percent on Chinese EV imports.

French economist sees China, Europe as both competitors, partners in EV industry

Crews from Abu Dhabi TV and the Saudi state-owned Al Arabiya channel are about to wrap up filming on the "Charming Beijing" TV series, a program that explores some of the most significant landmarks of China's capital.

The visiting film crews chose Beijing's administrative center in Tongzhou district as their first stop.

Three cultural landmarks located by the Grand Canal, namely the Beijing Performing Arts Center, the Grand Canal Museum of Beijing and Beijing City Library, and the soon-to-be-completed Beijing Integrated Transportation Hub at the Sub-Center Station beautifully showcase the fusion of culture and innovation in China's capital.

"The integrated transport hub of the Beijing Sub-Center boasts a huge railway network that connects multiple areas of Beijing. There are many layers underground, which is amazing. This has reached world standards in terms of transportation. We are all in awe at China's tremendous economic, technological, tourism, and cultural development," said Mohammed Abdulkareem, a host for Abu Dhabi TV.

During their nine-day stay in Beijing, the "Charming Beijing" production team also visited autonomous driving enterprises in Beijing E-Town, the National New Energy Vehicle Technology Innovation Center, and the International Robotics Industrial Park.

"We (the UAE and Chinese people) are both generous, hardworking, and committed to doing our best in every field, not only in economy and culture but also in sports. China has achieved good results in many sports events. These similarities bring us closer. We hope to establish more partnerships and yield more results hand-in-hand in the future," said Abdulkareem.

The "Charming Beijing" TV Series is supported by the city of Beijing's information office and China Media Group. It is set to air on TV channels in Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia at the end of this year.

Since 2019, production teams from Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Russia, Japan, Serbia, Italy, Croatia, and the Republic of Korea have been invited to film in Beijing.

Middle East media set to wrap filming on "Charming Beijing" series