China suffers from increased protectionist measures

China encountered 65 trade-remedy investigations launched by 17 countries and regions in the first half of 2016, surging 66.67 percent on a year-on-year basis, the Ministry of Commerce said on Tuesday.

Shen Danyang, spokesman for the ministry, said even though the rise of trade protectionism is not the fundamental reason for the prolonged global trade slowdown, it certainly is a factor.

The 65 cases, including 46 anti-dumping investigations and 13 countervailing cases, were launched by both developed and developing countries such as the United States, Brazil, Turkey and Malaysia during the six-month period.