French cognac businesses hopeful ‘positive' China talks could roll back tariffs
Following recent talks between the two countries – including
a phone call between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron – he said he was hopeful that Beijing's duties on French cognac could soon be rolled back.
'What we are hearing is that the discussions [between Chinese and French officials] are going pretty well. The discussions are positive and the Chinese government is willing to listen to us.'
Last October, Beijing imposed temporary anti-dumping duties on
brandy and cognac imported from the European Union in retaliation for the bloc's tariffs on made-in-China electric vehicles.
To avoid paying additional fees, Grosperrin said one of his Chinese clients refused to take an order that he had already paid for before the tariffs took effect.
'This gentleman is waiting for the negotiations to end, and [in the meantime] his money is stuck here in France,' Grosperrin said.
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