Beijing – Saba:
China announced on Sunday that it has imposed restrictions targeting European companies operating in the medical equipment sector, in response to the European Union's decision to exclude Chinese companies from major public tenders in this sector.
The Chinese Ministry of Finance explained in a statement that European companies, with the exception of those with European capital residing in China, will be excluded from tenders valued at more than 45 million yuan (approximately $6.3 million).
The ministry confirmed that these measures will take effect today, and the restrictions cover a wide list of products, including prosthetic limbs, spare parts for medical equipment, and surgical instruments.
This escalation comes in response to the European Union's recent decision to ban Chinese companies from participating in public medical equipment tenders valued at more than 5 million euros (approximately $5.7 million). The European Commission described the decision as a response to Beijing's "persistent discrimination" against European manufacturers.
The Commission claimed that nearly 90 percent of public procurement contracts for medical devices in China were "subject to exclusionary and discriminatory measures" against EU companies.
For its part, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce expressed "deep regret" over the European measures, noting that Beijing had repeatedly attempted to resolve disputes through bilateral dialogue and direct consultations. However, the European Commission proceeded with what it described as "new protectionist barriers" in the public procurement sector, forcing China to respond based on the principle of "reciprocity," with the aim of protecting the legitimate rights and interests of its companies and ensuring a fair and competitive environment in the public procurement market.
These developments come at a time when trade relations between China and the European Union are experiencing escalating tensions, marked by sharp disagreements over the past three years regarding several strategic sectors, including electric vehicles, railways, solar panels, and turbines.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi recently visited the European Union headquarters, along with France and Germany, in an effort to contain differences and enhance dialogue with the 27-member bloc. However, structural differences over trade remain unresolved, particularly given the EU's large trade deficit with China, which reached approximately $357.1 billion.
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