( Financial Times ) -- China 's premier has waded into an intensifying trade dispute with Europe , warning that EU investigations into Chinese-made solar panels and telecommunications equipment would backfire by hurting European consumers . `` The cases over these two types of products will hurt Chinese industries , business and jobs and also damage the vital interests of European users and consumers , '' Li Keqiang said en route to Berlin on Sunday during his first foreign trip since becoming premier . `` We express firm opposition . '' Mr Li 's comments mark the first time that China 's top leadership has weighed in on the trade disputes , and come as the solar case -- the EU 's biggest ever trade investigation -- enters a critical phase . The EU must decide before June 6 whether to go ahead with a proposal from Karel De Gucht , trade commissioner , to impose provisional duties averaging 47 per cent on imported Chinese solar products for dumping , or selling goods below cost . EU member states were due to submit their reactions to the proposal by Friday . As the deadline approached -- and even over the weekend -- those supporting and opposing duties stepped up their lobbying campaigns to try to win over undecided governments . On Sunday the vote appeared to be on a knife edge , with several people close to the investigation claiming as many as 15 of the 27 member states had opposed the duties . The commission declined to confirm this , and the numbers appeared to be fluid . A spokesman for Mr De Gucht said the commission would `` take note '' of member states ' positions . `` At this stage , any potential temporary measures are an emergency response to rebalance the market place for European companies facing life-threatening dumping and unfair competition from China 's solar panel industry , '' he added . Under EU rules , the commission -- not the member states -- makes the final decision on provisional duties . Imposing them without majority backing from national governments would be an embarrassment for Mr De Gucht and weaken his hand as the investigation moves toward a final outcome in December . Greg Barker , the UK 's minister for energy and climate change , led a group of energy executives to Brussels last week to try to persuade the commission to drop the solar case . Philipp RÃ¶sler , Germany 's economy minister , has also weighed in , publicly urging Mr De Gucht to negotiate a solution . Zhong Shan , vice-minister of China 's ministry of commerce , is set to meet the commissioner in Brussels on Monday to discuss the solar case , as well as a pending EU probe into China 's telecommunications network equipment suppliers , Huawei Technologies and ZTE Corp. Mr De Gucht was given a green light from fellow commissioners to open an investigation after informing them he believes both companies benefited from illegal government subsidies , including cheap land and financing , and then dumped their products in Europe . Mr Li made his remarks ahead of a visit to Germany , China 's biggest EU trading partner and a potentially pivotal player in determining the outcome of the investigations . At a press conference in Berlin on Sunday evening , Germany 's Chancellor Angela Merkel said : `` Germany will make every effort so that we make real progress in these talks . '' Mr Li 's remarks coincide with a comment piece in Monday 's Financial Times written by Wu Hailong , China 's ambassador to the EU , accusing Brussels of resorting to protectionism and remarking that its `` repeated attempts to stir up trade frictions with China are astonishing and confusing '' . Mr Wu said the trade cases were counter-productive at a time when the EU was still mired in recession and struggling to regain investor confidence . He also warned of broader damage to the bloc 's reputation , writing : `` The commission 's actions have tarnished its image as an advocate of free trade , fuelled the rise of protectionism and run counter to the commitment by the leaders of the G20 group of industrialised nations not to introduce protectionist measures . '' © The Financial Times Limited 2013 .
China 's premier warns EU investigations into Chinese-made solar panels would backfire . Li Keqiang said European users and consumers would be hurt by the intensifying trade dispute . Li 's comments are the first time that China 's top leadership has weighed in on the dispute .