The EU seems set to impose punitive tariffs on Chinese electric cars, but Germany is against the move — that was the clear message coming out of Brussels last week. The 27 EU nations held a vote on the issue, with 12 countries abstaining, five — including Germany — voting against the tariffs and 10 EU members voting in favor of imposing them. This was enough to greenlight the tariffs. The decision is expected to go into effect by the end of November at the latest.

But Germany's resounding "no" in Brussels may have caused a row inside the governing coalition in Berlin. According to mass-circulation Bild newspaper, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, of the Green Party, supported the tariffs. She allegedly wanted to send "a signal against the Chinese regime" and have Germany toughen up on China.

But Chancellor Olaf Scholz put his foot down and Germany voted against the tariffs, despite it not changing the outcome of the vote.

Baerbock is known for her harsh criticism of China. In September 2023, she described Chinese President Xi Jinping as a "dictator." Beijing responded by summoning the German ambassador and slamming Baerbock's statement as "absurd and provocative."

This week, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported that Baerbock was set to travel to China "in the coming days." Sources in Berlin have said the timing of the........

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