China Programme • Volume 12 • Number 31 • 25th September 2008

China Launches WTO Dispute against US Import Tariffs

China has filed a complaint at the WTO against duties that the US has placed on imports of certain Chinese steel pipes, tyres and laminated woven sacks.

“Considering that bilateral consultations between China and the US failed to solve concerns of China, China requested consultations with the US under the WTO dispute settlement mechanism regarding those measures,” the Chinese mission to the WTO said in a statement released on Friday.

Washington imposed the import tariffs arguing that China was selling those products in the US market at less than their normal value, a practice known as ‘dumping’ in WTO parlance. The WTO allows Members to try to counter the effects of dumping by imposing tariffs or other punitive measures against the offending country, but China argues that, in this case, the US has gone too far.

“After the anti-dumping and countervailing investigations by the US against the above mentioned products were initiated, China was highly concerned and has repeatedly articulated its position at various occasions, opposing the unfair practices of the US in those investigations,” the Chinese statement said.

China believes the import duties are “inconsistent with the obligations of the United States” under world trade laws, the country said in its official complaint.

The request for consultations with the US marks only the second time that China has independently launched a dispute at the WTO, although Beijing has been the target of a number of challenges in recent years.

In accordance with WTO dispute settlement process, the two parties will now have 60 days to resolve the matter through consultations. If no solution is found by the end of that period, then China can ask a panel of WTO judges to consider the case.

ICTSD reporting.

Chinese Version

《桥周刊（BRIDGES Weekly）》
2008年9月24日，第12卷第31期

针对美国向某些中国钢管、轮胎和复合编织袋制品征收关税的情况，中国政府已经向WTO提出起诉。

周五，中国驻世贸组织使团发表申明表示：“考虑到中美双边协商无法解决中方关注的问题，中国要求在WTO争端解决机制下与美方就[关税]措施进行协商。”

美方声称对中国征收进口关税是因为中国在美国市场上销售的产品低于其正常价值（即WTO的术语——“倾销”）。WTO允许成员国对倾销国征收关税或者采取其他惩罚性措施因此来应对倾销的影响。但是，中国认为，在此次事件中美国太过分了。

中方声明称：“美国对上述产品发起反倾销和反补贴调查后，中国即表示高度关注并且在不同场合反复阐明自己的立场，反对美国在这些调查中的不公平做法。”

中国在官方申诉中表示，征收进口关税“与世界贸易法下美国应该承担的义务相违背”。

此次要求与美方进行协商是中国第二次独立发起WTO贸易争端。虽然，近年来中国已经成为不少贸易争端的起诉目标。

根据WTO争端解决程序，起诉与应诉双方将有60天的时间通过协商解决问题。如果60天后没能达成解决方案，那么中国可以要求WTO法官专家小组参与争端解决。

ICTSD报道。

（中国项目部助理黄震乾翻译）