BEIJING, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- China urges the European Union (EU) to refrain from weaponizing tariffs, eliminate market barriers and promote fair competition, the Ministry of Commerce said Thursday.

Ministry spokesperson He Yadong made the remarks at a regular press briefing in response to a question about Volkswagen's recent announcement that it would launch the ID.1 low-cost electric vehicle (EV) model.

The move meets market demand and consumer expectations, as EU consumers seek a wider variety of products with more advanced performance at better prices, the spokesperson said.

China's EV sector has driven the electrification and intelligent shift of the industry, he noted, while adding that European automakers are fully capable of adapting to market competition and taking part in the industry's transformation.

Technological innovation and full industrial-chain cooperation have yielded an exceptionally strong price?to?performance ratio, which is the core driver of the EV sector's growth, the spokesperson said. "This is also why Chinese EVs are widely favored by consumers and a key factor supporting global efforts, including in the EU, to tackle climate change."

Stressing that "protectionism leads nowhere," the spokesperson stated that the EU has baselessly labeled Chinese EV makers as "subsidized" because of their strong price?to?performance ratio -- and has abused anti?subsidy measures. Such actions create market barriers and interfere with free competition, He added.

"Practice has shown that protectionism cannot withstand the power of the market, nor can it block the rational choices of EU consumers," he said.

The EU should follow the trend toward industrial cooperation and work with China to foster a fair, non-discriminatory and predictable market environment for EV development, thereby supporting global climate action and the green transition, he said.

"Cooperation is the right path. We welcome European products in the Chinese market and are ready to deepen cooperation in the EV sector," he added. ■