China's Ministry of Commerce on September 17 urged the European Union (EU) to revise discriminatory provisions in the proposed Public Procurement Act, voicing grave concerns over "European preference" provisions that could exclude or restrict third-country companies.

He Yadong, spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce, said at a regular press conference that China has noted the European Commission's release of the act proposal. The proposal introduces "European preference" criteria and requires non-market factors such as security to be included in bid evaluation criteria. This means companies from other countries that do not meet these new conditions could be excluded or face certain restrictions.

China is highly concerned about this, He said.

China urges the EU side to abide by WTO rules, keep its market open, and revise the discriminatory clauses in the proposal to create a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory business environment for enterprises investing and operating in Europe, the spokesperson said.

China will closely monitor the EU's legislative process and assess the relevant impact in a timely manner, He added.