Anti-dumping probes not to counter US move

China has been holding aloft the banner of free trade and criticizing the rising trade protectionism trend in some economies. So how do we analyze its anti-dumping investigations into optical fiber perform products imported from the United States and other economies? And its decision to launch investigations into halogenated butyl rubber imported from the US, the European Union and Singapore?

To begin with, the investigations are not counter-measures to a US probe into China's intellectual property practices under Section 301 of the US Trade Act of 1974, because China cannot possibly start a counter-probe in such a short time.

The Section 301 probe was launched within four days of US President Donald Trump seeking it. But China took a longer time to launch the anti-dumping probes. To seek an investigation, Chinese companies need to collect sufficient materials and evidence according to the Anti-dumping Regulations of China, following which the Ministry of Commerce will review them and then decide whether they merit a probe.