China’s competitive advantage is cheap labour brought about by poor workers rights and a low quality of life. Innovation has nothing to do with it. It is hilarious that you think European economies want to compete with that. The tariffs eliminate the exploitation that China can leverage that European manufacturers cannot. They are actually levelling the playing field in this market - you know - making it more competitive through innovation (the thing you apparently like) vs maximising exploitation of the workforce.
What the EU car makers need is the competition, to actually stay continually ahead.