China's Xi Jinping greets EU Council president ahead of EV tariffs taking effect

China's President Xi Jinping conveyed his congratulations to incoming European Council President Antonio Costa, emphasizing the importance of China-EU relations. This comes ahead of the European Commission's decision to impose tariffs of up to 37.6% on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs), citing state subsidies benefiting Chinese firms. Xi reaffirmed China's commitment to its partnership with the EU, rejecting accusations of unfair subsidies on Chinese EVs. The EU faces internal divisions over supporting these tariffs, with Germany leaning towards opposing them due to significant automotive sales in China, while France supports them firmly.