The announcement, made by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was published in the government gazette Resmi Gazete.
The Turkish government has decided to introduce these protective duties on finished cars from China. From next month, the import duties on Chinese cars will rise by 40%, with a minimum fee of $7,000 per vehicle.
In recent years, Chinese car brands have become increasingly popular in the Turkish market. Between January and April this year, approximately 30,000 new passenger and light commercial vehicles from China were sold in Türkiye, making up 7.8% of the country’s total car market.
Including the initial duty of 10%, the total tax on each car imported from China will now average 50%. Previously, the 40% additional duty was applied only to electric vehicles.
Turkish analysts believe this measure could boost domestic production and reduce the trade deficit, potentially affecting the competitiveness of Chinese car brands. The increased costs might lead Turkish buyers to prefer local and other foreign brands. However, there are concerns within the Turkish auto industry that rising car prices could impact citizens’ purchasing power.
Some speculate that this decision by the Turkish authorities is linked to the development of the national electric car, TOGG, aiming to prioritize it over the attractive Chinese alternatives in the domestic market.
