Fears of a widening tariff war between China and other major exporting nations are keeping diplomacy between the world's second-largest economy and the European Union alive, even as trade talks over electric vehicles stall.

The country's Commerce Minister recently urged French officials to encourage the EU to negotiate a fair solution

The European Union says it will impose duties on imports of electric vehicles from China on Wednesday after talks between Brussels and Beijing failed to find an amicable solution to their trade dispute.