Europe needs China as a “strategic partner” in helping build the bloc’s electric vehicle industry, a top Spanish official said, echoing Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s position against EU plans to slap tariffs on Chinese cars.

China's commerce minister said on Wednesday that Beijing will continue to negotiate "until the last minute" on the European Union's electric vehicle probe, with the investigation undermining confidence of Chinese companies investing in Europe.

China's trade remedy investigations against the EU were launched at the request of domestic industries, in full compliance with Chinese law and World Trade Organization (WTO) regulations. These investigations were conducted rigorously, adhering to legal standards with transparency and openness, the statement added.

The European Union and China agreed Thursday to intensify discussions as the two sides seek ways to avert looming tariffs on electric cars ahead of a deadline that’s only days away.

The EU's trade chief, Valdis Dombrovskis, said Thursday he had held "constructive" talks with China's commerce minister, Wang Wentao, as Beijing seeks a deal with Brussels to avoid steep tariffs on imported electric vehicles.

The European Commission and China agreed to intensify efforts to avert EU import tariffs on China-built electric vehicles and could re-examine a minimum-price deal previously rejected by the EU, the Commission said on Thursday.

Brussels and Beijing have agreed to take a new look at price undertakings, which could avoid extra tariffs on China-made electric vehicles.