According to CCTV News, on August 26th, the Canadian Ministry of Finance released a document announcing the imposition of a 100% surtax on Chinese electric vehicles starting from October 1st. The reporter learned from the China Chamber of Commerce for Machinery and Electronics that this is the measure that has been issued so far, involving the most electric vehicle models in China and the heaviest tax increase.
The China Chamber of Commerce for Machinery and Electronics strongly opposes this measure and urges Canada to make a rational judgment and immediately cancel it. The China Chamber of Commerce for Machinery and Electronics will evaluate the losses caused by this measure to Chinese enterprises and firmly support their demand to safeguard their legitimate rights and interests.
On August 27th, the Ministry of Commerce stated that Canada disregarded facts and WTO rules, disregarded China's repeated solemn representations, disregarded opposition and dissuasion from multiple parties, and acted unilaterally. The Chinese side strongly disagrees and firmly opposes this.
The Chinese side has repeatedly emphasized that the development of industries such as electric vehicles in China is based on its own comparative advantages and is the result of open competition. Chinese electric vehicles are welcomed by global users, including Canadian consumers, and have made significant contributions to the global response to climate change and green transformation.
Canada claims to support the multilateral trading system based on free trade and WTO rules, but openly violates WTO rules, blindly follows individual countries, and announces that it will adopt unilateral tariff measures, which is a typical trade protectionism. This move by Canada will disrupt the stability of the global industrial and supply chains, seriously undermine the global economic system and economic and trade rules, seriously impact the economic and trade relations between China and Canada, damage the interests of enterprises in both countries, affect the welfare of Canadian consumers, undermine Canada's green transformation and global efforts to address climate change.
China urges Canada to immediately correct its erroneous practices. China will take all necessary measures to firmly defend the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.
CCTV News reported that according to Reuters, prior to the announcement, Tesla had requested Canada to reduce tariffs on Chinese made Tesla.
According to a Reuters report on the 28th, Canadian government sources pointed out that before Canada announced that it would impose 100% tariffs on Chinese made electric vehicles, American electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla had contacted the Canadian government, demanding that Canada reduce the import tariffs on Tesla electric vehicles manufactured in China to a level equivalent to that of the European Union. It is reported that the EU has imposed a 9% tariff on Tesla's Chinese made electric vehicles this month, which is lower than the tariffs imposed on other Chinese electric vehicles. The report also stated that Tesla has not contacted the Canadian government since Canada announced on August 26 that it will impose tariffs and other restrictive measures on electric vehicles imported from China. The Canadian side refused to comment on this.
It is reported that since Tesla began exporting electric vehicles manufactured in Shanghai, China to Canada, the number of cars imported from China to Canada has surged. In 2023, Canada's imports of Chinese cars through its largest port, Vancouver Port, increased by 460% year-on-year, reaching 44356 units.