China demanded that France repeal a new law aimed at penalizing ultra-fast fashion, threatening to apply unspecified retaliatory measures against Paris. The Chinese government considered the legislation protectionist and harmful to the interests of Chinese companies operating in the European market.
The French law specifically targets fashion platforms like Shein and Temu, imposing environmental penalties. These companies have been criticized for the massive volume of shipments to Europe, frequently in small quantities, raising concerns about environmental impact.
Beijing threatened to respond with retaliatory measures, although it did not specify which actions it intends to take. The tension arises at a time when trade relations between China and the European Union already face challenges, particularly regarding tariffs on Chinese products.
The French law represents one of the first attempts in Europe to directly regulate the business model of ultra-fast fashion companies, which have been rapidly expanding in the European market with very low prices and accelerated production cycles.
