EU drops anti-subsidy probe against Chinese telecom equipment

During a trade officials' meeting between the European Union (EU) and China in Brussels on Saturday, both sides reached consensus on EU's dropping anti-subsidy probe against Chinese wireless communications equipment.

Co-chaired by Chinese Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng and the EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht, the meeting featured multiple-topic discussions on China-EU economic and trade ties and brought about "broad consensus," according to Chinese officials.

Gao said the fact that both sides reached consensus on EU's dropping anti-subsidy probe against Chinese wireless communications equipment as well as on maintaining a market environment featuring openness and fair competition has again demonstrated that both sides have the wisdom and ability to handle trade frictions and thus create better conditions for deepening bilateral economic and trade ties.

Hailing the meeting's results, De Gucht said the EU would immediately launch its internal procedures regarding dropping the probe. He said the EU is willing to work with China to resolve trade disputes via closer communication and clear hurdles to the development of bilateral ties.

Huawei spokesperson Joy Tan in a written statement welcomed the decision of both sides, saying Huawei always sticks to principle of fair competition and has won trust of its customers. She said in Europe, Huawei is committed to deepening communication with local partners and customers and working together to promote the development of European ICT industry, adding that it is the company's firm belief that an open and competitive environment will benefit both the industry and the consumers.

Last year, the European Commission, or the EU's executive body, planned to start an anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigation against China, but kept talks with Beijing open for a solution. In March 2014, the EU dropped the anti-dumping investigation against Chinese telecommunications equipment.

Source: Xinhua