Chinese minister says cognac probe unrelated to EU probe on EVs - source

PARIS (Reuters) - Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao told French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire that the probe started in China on the cognac market is not linked to the one started by the European Union on Chinese electric vehicles, a source at the French ministry said on Monday.

The anti-dumping investigation started in China will not necessarily end with tariffs, Wang told his French counterpart, the source in Paris said.

The EU is investigating whether Chinese makers of electric cars have benefited from unfair subsidies.

A statement published by the Chinese commerce ministry on Tuesday about Wang's meeting with Le Maire did not mention either probe, but said the two sides conducted "candid exchanges" on issues related to China-France economic and trade cooperation.

Wang told Le Maire that China was willing to work with France to promote economic and trade efforts and resolve their major concerns in these areas, it said.

(Reporting by Gilles Guillaume and Inti Landaur; Additional reporting by Brenda Goh in Shanghai; Editing by Leslie Adler and Devika Syamnath)