Major differences remain after eight rounds of China-EU EV tariff talks

China and the European Union (EU) have yet to reach a mutually acceptable solution on the EU's anti-subsidy case involving Chinese electric vehicles, as major differences remain, according to a statement released by China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products (CCCME) on Wednesday.

The European Commission -- the executive arm of the 27-nation EU -- is set to impose countervailing duties of up to 35.3 percent on electric vehicles (EVs) imported from China, additional to the European Union's existing 10 percent tariff on imported cars, after some EU countries did not oppose the move in an October 4 qualified majority vote. Even though Germany and four other members voted against the duties, and 12 other members abstained, the Commission can now proceed with the countervailing duties before an October 30 deadline. Negotiations with the Chinese side may continue even after the deadline.

Authorized by 12 Chinese EV enterprises, the CCCME proposed a price commitment plan to the European Commission on August 24 in accordance with investigation procedures, said the statement.

Technical teams from the two sides have conducted eight rounds of intensive negotiations since September 20 in Brussels and have made important progress after more than 20 days of arduous efforts, according to the statement.

However, it is regrettable that the EU has failed to actively respond to the core concerns of both Chinese and European industries, the statement said.

The CCCME noted reports that while negotiating with the Chinese technical team, the European Commission is also holding separate price commitment talks with certain companies.

The companies involved in separate talks are all within the 12 enterprises that have authorized the CCCME and have agreed to be represented by the CCCME as a whole in the price commitment application, the statement said, adding its proposal to the European Commission has already covered all plans of the 12 enterprises, so there is no need to make applications separately.

In light of the fact that the European Commission regarded this enterprise group and their affiliated companies as a whole in its preliminary and final ruling on the tariff case, no manufacturer of this enterprise group should be treated differently in terms of both tariffs and price commitment, the statement said.

If the European Commission insists on conducting price commitment negotiations with certain enterprises separately, there is a high possibility that they will be treated differently with double or even multiple standards, according to the statement.

Noting that the price commitment plan that represents the overall position of the industry proposed by the CCCME is the basis of the current China-EU negotiations, the statement said the separate talks will undermine this basis and mutual trust and bring interference to the bilateral consultations.

China and the EU are on a tight schedule for negotiations, and separate talks will disperse resources and slow down the negotiation process, the statement said.

Vowing to do its utmost to lead the enterprises in the work related to the negotiations and protect their interests, the CCCME said it hopes the EU side can fully demonstrate sincerity and continue negotiations with the Chinese side with the aim of determining a price commitment to reach a mutually acceptable solution as soon as possible on the basis of current negotiations.

Major differences remain after eight rounds of China-EU EV tariff talks

Giant pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao from China are settling into their new home at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington D.C.

Arriving from China on Tuesday, the staff at the zoo are excited to welcome them.

"Oh, my gosh. It is beyond exciting for us to be able to welcome these two new giant pandas here to the zoo. We have such a long history with the giant panda conservation program dating back to 1972. And we've made so many amazing headway in this area, to be able to welcome these two to open that new chapter is just very exciting for us," said Stephanie Brinley, deputy director of the National Zoo.

Dr. James Steeil, supervisory veterinary medical officer at the National Zoo, traveled with the three-year-old pandas from China in a specially equipped Fed Ex cargo plane dubbed the Panda Express.

"I went about a week ahead of time to China, and from there I got to learn a lot of the behaviors and how both of those pandas worked with our Chinese colleagues, and I got to do visual health assessments on those pandas to then determine whether there were anything that I needed to be prepared for the flight," said Dr. Steeil.

The pandas made the journey in excellent health. Researchers here will study them as they age, gaining knowledge that will help conservation efforts.

Zookeepers said their personalities are already emerging.

"Qing Bao is a little more reserved. She's definitely very cautious. She looks at her environment very carefully. Bao Li is very people oriented. He loves to be around his keepers, they're a little bit opposites. But for this pair, you know, my hopes are just hopefully someday they'll have their own cubs," said Laurie Thompson, assistant curator of the national zoo.

For now the two bears have only seen each other from a distance and will live apart in separate yards and indoor areas.

"Because pandas only are reproductively active for like two days a year, so then they're strictly solitary from before that. We keep them all solitary except for the times of breeding," said Dr. Steeil.

A team of experts from China is here to help the bears settle in. Staff members say collaborations with colleagues from China are crucial.

"It's a wonderful cooperative, collaborative relationship that we have with our Chinese counterparts," said Brinley.

The National Zoo is preparing for large crowds, but visitors will have to wait a bit longer to see Bao Li and Qing Bao in person, as they won't make their public debut until January. The pandas need a few months to acclimate before the crowds arrive.

In the meantime, zookeepers are improving the panda habitat and working to improve the visitor experience.

This is the second time this year that China has sent giant pandas to the United States.

Sent as part of a 10-year international giant panda protection cooperation program, the pandas, Bao Li, male, and Qing Bao, female, departed their hometown in southwest China's Sichuan Province, accompanied by an experienced breeder and a veterinarian to help them quickly adapt to their new environment at the US zoo.

China's panda pair settle into new home at zoo in Washington