Now for more analysis on this, we are joined on the phone by Mr Ding Yifan, deputy director of the Development Research Center of the State Council.

Q1: The steel tariff is not something new. There's speculation that this request for consultations from the EU is related to the ongoing solar panel dispute. Do you agree? What do you think about the timing of this move?

Q2: We go from solar panels to duties on wine from the EU, and now steel tubes. With this rising number of disputes, where do you see China-EU trade relations going?