The 2026 Beijing Auto Show is in full swing, drawing major industry players from Germany, France, and Italy, after around 700 Chinese companies appeared at Hannover Messe, the world’s leading manufacturing trade fair, which concluded Friday. “Yet even as China and EU businesses deepen cooperation, the European Commission (EC) is pressing ahead with protectionism, shaping what analysts call an increasingly ‘non-level playing field,’” writes Global Times.
China’s Ministry of Commerce stated on Monday that “the EU’s Industrial Acceleration Act (IAA) imposes restrictive requirements on foreign investment in four key strategic sectors—batteries, electric vehicles, photovoltaics and critical raw materials—and introduces ‘EU-origin’ clauses in public procurement and support policies, constituting significant investment barriers and institutional discrimination. The ministry has formally submitted comments to the European Commission, expressing China’s position and serious concerns over the legislation.”
“The proposal has evident protectionist and targeted features, especially in emerging and strategic sectors, with strong discrimination against Chinese companies,” Jian Junbo, director of the Center for China-Europe Relations at Fudan University’s Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Monday.
