Paris has pushed back against Beijing's accusations that France's newly enforced anti-fast-fashion law unfairly singles out Chinese e-commerce giants, insisting the measure is designed to protect the environment and consumers rather than to discriminate against any country.
A source in the French Foreign Trade and Attractiveness office, which operates under the foreign ministry, told European Pulse on Thursday that the law, which came into force on Tuesday, is "not discriminatory." The official added that it is in everyone's interest, including China's, to maintain calm and civil trade relations with France and the European Union.
The response follows a press conference on Thursday in which Chinese Commerce Ministry spokeswoman Huang Ling called for the suspension of the French law, which was passed last July. She accused France of using environmental and sustainability criteria as a pretext to create a two-tier system that could breach World Trade Organization (WTO) non-discrimination rules. "If France persists, China will take the necessary measures to protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies," she warned, adding that "France will bear all the consequences that ensue."
The French official rejected the notion of discrimination, noting that China is entitled to submit technical comments to the WTO if it believes the law violates trade rules. "The fact that China feels targeted is indeed something we have heard. We are of course ready to talk to them to understand to what extent they feel targeted," the source said. "If China has technical comments, it is perfectly entitled to submit them to the WTO."
The official also dismissed Beijing's threat of retaliation, framing it as an attempt to pressure a sovereign state. "Our Parliament is sovereign and has had its say. It has passed this law and we will fully respect its decision. This kind of threat, this challenge to a state's sovereign position, is coercion, economic retaliation. But for now, it remains a threat," she said.
EU concerns and legal wrangling
The European Commission has previously expressed reservations about whether the draft law aligns with EU legislation, particularly regarding its advertising ban. However, the French official said the government has addressed those concerns. "We have taken the time to respond to the European Commission's concerns, to questions about compatibility with various directives. Questions remain, but we are confident," she said. "From our point of view, there are no outstanding issues."
The law defines ultra-fast fashion based on two criteria: the number of new products a company launches and whether it encourages customers to repair items rather than replace them. The aim is to reduce the fashion sector's environmental footprint and shield France's ready-to-wear industry from a flood of low-cost imports. A per-item charge will be levied on producers and passed on to consumers, with the amount varying according to a predefined scale based on each product's score.
China has not yet specified what retaliatory measures it might take, but Beijing has a history of targeting French interests. In 2024, it imposed anti-dumping duties on European brandy after the EU levied tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, leaving French cognac producers at the centre of a customs stand-off. The current dispute echoes that pattern, and comes as the EU and China continue to negotiate over trade imbalances—an issue that EU trade chief has set an October deadline to resolve.
The timing is also notable: Shein, the Chinese fast-fashion giant that would be most affected by the French law, had a mixed debut on the Hong Kong stock exchange on Tuesday. Its listing follows delays to its planned public offerings in New York and London amid scrutiny of its supply chains in China. The company has not commented publicly on the French law, but analysts suggest it could face higher costs if the levy is applied to its ultra-fast fashion model.
While France insists the law is a legitimate environmental measure, the dispute highlights the broader tensions between the EU's push for sustainability and its trade relations with China. The European Commission has already raised concerns about the law's compatibility with EU rules, and Beijing's threat of retaliation adds another layer of complexity. For now, Paris appears unwilling to back down, and the coming months may test whether the WTO can mediate a resolution.
