Findings in the European Union's preliminary ruling on imported electric vehicles (EVs) lack factual and legal basis and seriously violate World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules, China's commerce ministry said on Friday.

China on Friday resorted to the dispute settlement mechanisms, opens new tab of the WTO over the EU's temporary countervailing measures for EVs, a ministry spokesperson said in a statement.

Chinese state media had reported that the ministry said it reserved the right to file lawsuits with the WTO concerning the EU's plan to impose provisional duties on imported Chinese EVs.