China urges fair business environment as EU plans to restrict access

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday urged the European Union to provide a fair and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises after the EU moved to restrict Chinese medical device suppliers' access to the bloc's public procurement market.

EU member states reportedly approved the move on Monday in a vote, mandating a ban on Chinese bidders from contracts worth more than 5 million euros (about $5.4 million) for the next five years.

Reports show that the vote was called after an investigation published in January by the European Commission allegedly found that Chinese companies favored Chinese devices.

During a regular briefing, the ministry's spokesman, Lin Jian, was asked to comment on the move.

While advising reporters to refer to specific authorities, Li reiterated China's stance that China has always adhered to high-level opening up, upheld the principles of the market economy and trade rules, and advocated resolving trade disputes through dialogue and consultation. 

"The EU has long portrayed itself as the world's most open market, but in reality, it is increasingly embracing protectionism, frequently resorting to unilateral trade tools and engaging in unfair competition under the guise of open competition, a typical example of double standards," Lin said.

The investigation reportedly found that 87 percent of a sample of Chinese public tenders contained direct and indirect restrictions on imported devices.

The new restrictions are likely to increase tensions inflamed by EU tariffs on China-built electric vehicles and Chinese measures against EU brandy, according to Reuters.

EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic was due to meet Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao in Paris on Tuesday, according to Sefcovic's agenda.

The China Chamber of Commerce to the EU expressed "profound disappointment" about the decision, which it said failed to acknowledge the significant access European medical device firms had enjoyed in China, according to China's Xinhua News Agency.

(Cover image via VCG)