When China’s head of state Xi Jinping meets President Emmanuel Macron in Paris at the beginning of next week to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, he is unlikely to hide his displeasure at the EU investigation into EV state subsidies. After all, France was the main driver behind Brussels‘ decision: following months of lobbying by the French, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen launched the new anti-subsidy investigation in the autumn – much to Berlin’s annoyance.