Steel producers hit with huge US fees

Vice-Minister of Commerce Yi Xiaozhun on Friday sounded his "strong dissatisfaction" following an announcement from the United States that it will impose massive "anti-dumping" charges on steel pipes imported from China.

Beijing will make the issue of trade and investment protectionism an issue at next week's Asia-Pacific summit, he said.

"We resolutely oppose the abuse of protectionist measures," Yi said at a foreign ministry press conference on Friday organized in connection with President Hu Jintao's visit to Malaysia, Singapore and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders' summit next week.