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🇸🇬 Singapore /Culture & Society

China urges France to halt fast-fashion law and warns of countermeasures

From The Straits Times · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Official statement Ongoing story
  • China urged France to suspend a law targeting ultra-fast-fashion platforms such as Shein and Temu, calling it discriminatory.
  • The French law introduces per-item fees that could eventually approach 20 euros, based on clothing volumes and repair costs.
  • Beijing warned it would take measures to protect Chinese companies if France continued implementing the legislation.

Beijing has demanded that France stop enforcing its new law on ultra-fast fashion, accusing Paris of using a discriminatory trade restriction against major Asian e-commerce platforms, including Shein and Temu.

The measure took effect on Sept. 1 and imposes fees on certain garments. Those charges could eventually reach almost 20 euros per item as France seeks to limit the industry's environmental and local economic effects.

China urges France to immediately halt the implementation of the anti-ultra-fast fashion law.

· Huang LingChina's commerce ministry spokeswoman called for France to suspend the legislation.

“China urges France to immediately halt the implementation of the anti-ultra-fast fashion law,” Commerce Ministry spokeswoman Huang Ling said at a news conference. She called the legislation “clearly discriminatory” and said China was “in firm opposition to France’s insistence on pushing forward this trade-restrictive measure”.

Firm opposition to France’s insistence on pushing forward this trade-restrictive measure, which is clearly discriminatory.

· Huang LingShe described Beijing's position on the French law.

Huang warned that China would take steps to protect the legitimate interests of Chinese companies if France continued with the law. “France will bear full responsibility for all consequences arising from this,” she said.

France defines ultra-fast fashion using two criteria: the volume of clothing a company places on the market and the cost of repairing garments compared with their purchase price. The fee for each item will depend on how it scores against those standards.

Should France persist in this course of action, China will take necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.

· Huang LingShe warned of possible Chinese countermeasures.

The warning comes as Shein, known for its very low prices and rapid production, made a weak debut on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on Sept. 1. Earlier plans for listings in New York and London had fallen through. The retailer moved its headquarters to Singapore between 2021 and 2022, a step analysts said was intended to reduce growing international scrutiny of Chinese companies.

France will bear full responsibility for all consequences arising from this.

· Huang LingShe placed responsibility on France if it continued implementing the law.
About this summary

Originally published by The Straits Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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