Cars imported from China should have their import tariffs lowered, not raised, to push European car makers to produce better products, the boss of Mercedes-Benz has said. Speaking in Stuttgart, Ola Källenius said an open market for Chinese cars should be the end goal, his views in contrast to plans by European lawmakers to increase fees – forcing price rises – of the heavily Chinese government-subsidised EVs. “Don’t raise tariffs. I’m a contrarian,” he told the Financial Times.
About the probe, he said: “We did not ask for this. We as companies are not asking for protection, and I believe the best Chinese companies are not asking for protection. They want to compete in the world like everybody else.” He added: “It has been opening up markets that has led to wealth growth, especially in the economic wonder of China, that has lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty.