China spared major cognac producers Pernod Ricard, LVMH and Remy Cointreau from hefty duties on EU brandy on Friday, a rare bright spot at a time of trade tensions between Brussels and Beijing as the two sides row over tariffs on Chinese-made EVs.

China on Friday imposed anti-dumping duties on European brandy, most notably cognac produced in France, as trade tensions between Beijing and United States allies continue to rise.Chinese authorities agreed to exempt some major cognac makers on condition they maintain their prices above minimum levels.

China has levied tariffs of up to 35 per cent on European brandy, which will start on Jul 5. The decision was reached after several postponements, after Beijing's launched an investigation last year in response to the European Union's probe into Chinese electric vehicles.