US companies may miss opportunities in China

Countermeasures on trade could leave them out if dispute escalates

US enterprises may miss the opportunity to benefit from China's ongoing opening-up process if the Sino-US dispute escalates, experts from top government think tanks said on Thursday.

"Some of China's opportunities may not apply to US enterprises, based on WTO rules and China's Foreign Trade Law," said Wei Jianguo, a former vice-minister of commerce and current vice-president of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges. "Once the US tariff measures against Chinese products take effect, China will immediately adopt countermeasures."