Premier Li Keqiang warns EU against telecoms sanctions

Premier Li Keqiang criticised the European Union over its plans to investigate alleged anti-competitive behaviour by Chinese makers of mobile telecommunications equipment and to impose punitive import duties on solar panels from China, state media reported.

Xinhua reported late on Friday that Li had told business leaders in Switzerland such measures would "harm others without benefiting oneself".

Li is the most senior central government official to comment on the troublesome issue so far.

He began a visit to Germany late yesterday, the last leg of his maiden foreign tour since taking up his office in March.

The EU is considering whether to impose punitive import duties on solar panels from China after the United States levied its own duties last year - a move fiercely opposed by Beijing.

European Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht said this month that he and fellow commissioners had agreed in principle to open an anti-dumping and anti-subsidy case against China, but would first seek to negotiate a solution.