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China protests US levies

By Ding Qingfen (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-12-24 08:05

The Chinese government has asked the World Trade Organization to investigate the anti-subsidy and anti-dumping duties imposed by the US on four categories of imports from China.

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This marks the second such request by China since its entry into the WTO.

Industry experts said the latest protest to the WTO showed China is taking a positive step in countering the growing tide of trade protectionism at a time when the global economy is sliding into a recession.

Import duties on circular welded steel pipe, rectangular pipe, off-load tires and laminated woven sack were first imposed unilaterally by the US in September. Despite China's protests, the ITC reaffirmed the US position in November, claiming the duties were necessary to offset subsidies by the Chinese government to those exports.

China on Monday appealed to the WTO, asking for an investigation. China will have another opportunity to ask for a panel at the next meeting of the WTO's Dispute Settlement Body on January 20, 2009.

"It is the right choice to resort to the WTO, and this is just the beginning for China in protecting its companies from being hurt by sometimes illegal or unreasonable countervailing duties from its trade partners, through WTO regulations," said Fu Donghui, managing director of Allbright Law Firm Beijing, which mainly deals with WTO-related issues.