Germany Lines Up With Spain Against EU Tariffs on Chinese EVs

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz joined Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in calling for the European Union to drop its plan to impose extra tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles, potentially undercutting the bloc’s primary tool for pushing back against Beijing’s state-backed industry.

A procession of European leaders have visited President Xi Jinping since the EU announced that it would hit Chinese EVs with duties of nearly 50%, but Sanchez this week became the first to demand a rethink to the impending trade measures. Sanchez thrust himself into the middle of a geopolitical minefield, a rare position for the premier who typically aligns with the EU mainstream.