Business & Finance
China criticizes French fast-fashion law as discriminatory and threatens countermeasures
Beijing urges Paris to repeal legislation imposing fees of up to nearly €20 per garment on high-volume e-commerce platforms.
The short version
- China has demanded that France halt the enforcement of a new law aimed at curbing ultra-fast fashion, labeling the rules discriminatory against major platforms like Shein and Temu.
- The French measure introduces graduated environmental fees of up to nearly €20 per piece of clothing based on market volume and repair costs relative to sales price.
- China's commerce ministry warned it would take necessary steps to protect Chinese companies if France continues to enforce the policy.
Key facts
- France implemented a new law that introduces per-item fees of up to almost €20 per garment, targeting ultra-fast fashion platforms to reduce environmental and local economic impacts.[France 24]
- The French legislation defines affected fast-fashion products using criteria based on the volume of clothing released to the market and the ratio of garment repair costs to purchase prices.[France 24]
- Chinese Commerce Ministry spokeswoman Huang Ling declared Beijing's firm opposition, calling the policy trade-restrictive and warning that France will bear responsibility for any fallout.[France 24]
- Shein completed an initial public offering in Hong Kong after earlier efforts to list in New York and London were derailed, having relocated its corporate headquarters to Singapore between 2021 and 2022.[France 24]
What remains uncertain
- The specific countermeasures China may implement if France maintains the law remain unspecified.[France 24]