Following positive results from the China-EU trade and investment consultation mechanism, several Chinese automakers issued statements on October 14 welcoming the outcomes in the automotive trade field. BYD said it is closely following the important consensus reached in the consultations, which effectively manages trade differences and avoids escalation, taking into account the realities and legitimate concerns of both Chinese and European industries and creating a stable, predictable and sustainable cooperation environment for China-EU hybrid-vehicle trade.
Chery Group and Zhejiang Geely Holding Group also issued statements supporting the consultation results. The outcomes provide a more stable and predictable environment for Chinese automakers exporting to Europe, at a time when trade-defense measures had raised tensions.
The consensus comes as Chinese automakers scale up European presence. In the second quarter of 2026 Chinese brands captured a 10.7% share of the European market, overtaking Japanese brands for the first time in the region, and in the first eight months roughly 400,000 of 500,000 new cars registered in Europe came from Chinese manufacturers. With EU countervailing duties on China-made pure EVs in place, exporters have shifted priorities toward plug-in hybrids, where Chinese brands held more than 26% of the Western European market.
Analysts said the consultation outcomes, combined with steady export-volume growth, give exporters room to plan capacity and product strategy with greater clarity, and support the broader shift from vehicle export to local manufacturing and ecosystem rootedness in Europe.
Source: Eastmoney / Cailian Press (CLS)
