[mrtksn]

This is a fallacy. People are not buying Chinese instead of European because they want destruction, they buy it because the European industry failed in making better or cheaper products.

If we are bailing out an industry, this can't be on the shoulders of the public who doesn't have anything to do with the failure. If we are going to save it, make sure those responsible for the failure are paying too. You are asking for Europeans to pay almost half a year of their salaries to save these industries, then at least take away the properties of those involved in the failure. Maybe it wouldn't change much but are in this together or not?

[layer8]

They are bailing out industries when a lot of local jobs are bound to it, so it’s not correct that the public doesn’t have anything to do with it.

[mrtksn]

Tell me again why 400M people should pay a half a year worth of salary as extra to buy an inferior car to save the jobs of those who failed to make a good product? Let them fail, pay them unemployment to prevent social issues then go get the cheap good cars and pay a bit more tax for social security. Cut out the shareholders and executives.

[layer8]

If you do that often enough, at some point the state won’t have enough money to pay the unemployed any more. Also, there are reasons why the same product can be manufactured more cheaply in China than (say) in Germany, that have to do with different standards for labor rights, safety standards, and so on, not with anyone failing to make a good product. And it’s not like China doesn’t subsidize its automotive industry as well.

[chupy]

A lot of the things that we buy in Europe are already manufactured cheaply in China with different standards etc. We are moving a lot of manufacturing back to Europe, mostly in the eastern part of it. That part is still 'cheap' aka they can put the made in eu logo on the box, pay employees eastern Europe prices and ask buyers western Europe prices.

The same thing with the eu car companies... they even took the money from the states where they had factories (Germany, Belgium, France) which greatly subsidized them, increased their profits and margins then moved to the next EU state and beyond.

[datadrivenangel]

At a certain point, if you don't approve of another regions labor policies, you have to buy less of their exports, otherwise you won't be able to produce your own goods.

[Ringz]

Better? That needs a proof and I bet you won’t be able to find a peer reviewed example.

Cheaper? You raise an easy target here if you ignore the massive subsidies, completely different financial systems and politics. China ignores international trade rules and Europe, USA etc. can’t ignore this if they want to save their industry and - at the end - democracy.

[rdm_blackhole]

> if you ignore the massive subsidies

The EU subsides their car makers just the same. Part of Renault belonged to the French government for the longest time and all the governments are providing incentives to drive the sales of new cars.

See the cash for clunkers program that was running for years after the 2008 crisis.

Using tax payer money to artificially reduce the cost of a new car, If that is not a subsidy, then what is it?

[ossobuco]

It's always the same: rules for thee, not for me. Most of the accusations western countries make are just projections in reality.

[mrtksn]

Peer review for cars? Interesting mental gymnastics. Just let people buy whatever they want.

> you ignore the massive subsidies, completely different financial systems and politics

Cool, China subsidizing EU's fight against climate change. Get the free money, save the climate and spend the money you saved on something that you want instead of forced.

[Ringz]

Thank you for acknowledging that it’s not possible to prove that Chinese cars are better. After all, you’ve already retracted your initial claim.

> Cool, China subsidizing EU's fight against climate change. Get the free money, save the climate and spend the money you saved on something that you want instead of forced.

Your mental gymnastics needs some training if you think that importing cheap cars instead of selling and exporting your own cars and therefore protecting your own industry and jobs is a better deal or mechanic for EUs fight against climate change.

Maybe you are unaware of „The WTO Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures disciplines the use of subsidies, and it regulates the actions countries can take to counter the effects of subsidies.“?

https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/scm_e/scm_e.htm