Major trade disputes between China and the US

Published: October 8 2009 10:12 | Last updated: January 6 2010 03:45

A list of major trade disputes between China and the US since Beijing’s accession to the World Trade Organization in 2001:

Date	Complainant	Issue
March 2002	China	China joins other countries in a complaint about safeguard measures imposed by the US that increases duties on steel imports
March 2004	US	The US complains Chinese semiconductor producers pay less tax than their foreign competitors
March 2006	US	The US and other countries complain that China has imposed measures including tariffs that adversely affect their auto parts exports
February 2007	US	The US complains that China has granted tax refunds, reductions and exemptions for companies that buy domestic goods
April 2007	US	The US lodges two cases with the WTO on intellectual property rights protection and market access for US movies, DVDs, books and music
April 2007	China	China complains against US duties on glossy paper used in packaging
July 2007	US	A US study says China’s steel industry has benefited over the past 10 years from the “pervasive influence” of financial transfers from central and local government bodies, some of which are alleged to have broken WTO rules
March 2008	US	The US complains about China’s attempt to put the financial information business of international news providers under the control of local rival and regulator, Xinhua news agency
April 2009	China	China challenges a US law banning imports of processed Chinese poultry, saying the ban cannot be justified on health and safety grounds
June 2009	US	The US and European Union complain that China grants raw materials to domestic manufacturers at below-market prices
August 2009	US	Washington complains that Beijing breaks WTO rules by requiring all imported media products to be channelled through state-run distributors
September 2009	China	China complains that US tariffs on Chinese tyres, introduced on September 11, are in excess of the rates permitted under US international obligations to China
September 2009	China	China launches anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations into the imports of US car parts and chicken products
October 2009	China	The Chinese Ministry of Commerce issues a preliminary ruling against companies in the US and other countries, accusing them of dumping chemical fibres in China
December 2009	China	China imposes duties on imports of certain speciality steel products from the US and Russia
December 2009	US	The US slaps anti-dumping duties on Chinese steel grating imports
December 2009	US	The US imposes duties of 10 to 16 per cent on Chinese steel piping imports
January 2010	US	The US slaps additional duties of 43 to 289 per cent on imports of Chinese-made wire decking. It follows tariffs ranging from 2 to 438 per cent announced in November 2009 on the products

Research: Justine Lau

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