China's top economic planner, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), said on Saturday that tariffs imposed by the European Union (EU) on Chinese electric vehicles (EV) benefit no one and will eventually backfire.

NDRC's chairman Zheng Shanjie made the remarks at the first China-Germany High-Level Dialogue on Climate Change and Green Transition held in Beijing. German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck also attended the dialogue.

Noting that the global production capacity of new energy vehicles (NEVs) cannot meet the market demand, Zheng said that China's NEVs can make a greater contribution to the promotion of global green and low-carbon transformation.

He said protectionism will not protect competitiveness but only slow down the global process of combating climate change and promoting green and low-carbon transformation, and urged the German side to show leadership within the EU to do the right thing.

Data shows that China's NEVs are mainly sold domestically, and the exports account for only 12.5 percent of total production. Besides, the average price of mainstream Chinese EVs overseas is higher than the domestic price.

The development of China's new energy industry is the result of the comprehensive advantages of technology, market and industry chain, Zheng said, adding it is developed under the law of the market, and by competition rather than subsidies.

He noted many foreign-funded automobile enterprises have increased their investment in China in recent years, which is not because of subsidies, but because of China's complete EV industry chain and skilled workers.