The move came days after the European Union pressed ahead in adopting definitive tariffs of up to 45% on China-made battery electric vehicles last Friday.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's rejection of EU tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles failed to stop fellow European Union members voting in favour, exposing how a divided Berlin is struggling to drive EU policy.

The European Union unleashed one of its most powerful economic tools on China, imposing tariffs on electric vehicles in a move that increases the risk of retaliatory measures and backfiring on domestic consumers and companies.