Germany assures China that doors still open to discuss EU surcharges

FILE - A worker wipes an Ora, a Chinese electric car, during Auto Shanghai 2023 at a convention center in Shanghai, April 18, 2023. Without compromise by July 4, the European Commission will impose up to 28% increase in customs duties on imports of Chinese electric vehicles.

The German vice-chancellor assured China on Saturday that the "doors" remained "open" to discuss EU surcharges on Chinese electric vehicles, without reassuring Beijing which promised to "firmly defend" its manufacturers.