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Policy Article

Foul Play? On the Scale and Scope of Industrial Subsidies in China

Authors

  • Bickenbach
  • F.
  • Dohse
  • D.
  • Langhammer
  • R.J.
  • Liu
  • W-H.

Publication Date

Key Words

China

industrial subsidies

battery electric vehicles

wind turbines

railway rolling stock

EU

anti-subsidy proceeding

Related Topics

International Trade

Globalization

Foreign Direct Investments

European Union & Euro

Companies

China

China makes extensive use of subsidies in order to take a leading role on the global markets in the green technology sectors of electric vehicles, wind turbines and railway rolling stock. According to DiPippo et al. (2022) and recent OECD studies, the industrial subsidies in China are at least three to four times or even up to nine times higher than in the major EU and OECD countries. According to a very conservative estimate, industrial subsidies in China amounted to around EUR 221 billion or 1.73% of Chinese GDP in 2019. According to recent data of 2022, direct government subsidies for some of the dominant Chinese manufacturers of green technology products had also increased significantly - the electric car manufacturer BYD alone received EUR 2.1 billion. The authors point out that Chinese companies are benefiting from further support measures, including subsidized inputs, preferential access to critical raw materials, forced technology transfers, the strategic use of public procurement and the preferential treatment of domestic firms in administrative procedures. The authors recommend the EU to use its anti-subsidy proceeding against BEV imports from China to enter into negotiations with the Chinese government and persuade it to abolish public support measures that are particularly harmful to the EU.

Kiel Institute Experts

  • Frank Bickenbach
    Kiel Institute Researcher
  • Prof. Dr. Dirk Dohse
    Research Director
  • Prof. Dr. Rolf J. Langhammer
    Kiel Institute Researcher
  • Dr. Wan-Hsin Liu
    Kiel Institute Researcher

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