China vows to protect rights of Chinese companies against EU ban

China has urged the European Union to immediately correct its wrongful practices and pledged to take necessary measures to firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies, said the Ministry of Commerce on Tuesday.

The European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, decided last week to bar Chinese companies from bidding on public procurement contracts for medical devices worth more than 5 million euros ($5.75 million).

The EU, disregarding China's repeated expressions of goodwill and sincerity through bilateral dialogue, has acted unilaterally by using its own tools to erect new protectionist barriers. This will not only harm the interests of Chinese companies but also seriously undermine fair competition, said a spokesperson from the Ministry of Commerce in a statement.

As this year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and the EU, the ministry official reiterated China's commitment to implementing key consensus reached by the leaders of both sides.

China remains open to resolving trade frictions through dialogue and consultation, with the aim of maintaining confidence and predictability in China-EU business cooperation, said the spokesperson.