Shanghai/Taipei, Mar 27 (EFE).- China’s commerce ministry announced Friday the launch of trade barrier investigations into the United States in retaliation for those announced by Washington against several economies, including China, for alleged excess capacity and forced labor in production.
In a statement, a ministry spokesperson explained that, in response to the probes initiated by the US earlier this month, China is launching two reciprocal investigations into trade barriers imposed by Washington.
The first concerns US practices and measures that, according to Beijing, undermine global industrial and supply chains while the other points to Washington’s practices and measures that obstruct trade in green products, according to the statement.
These probes will be conducted in accordance with the Foreign Trade Law and the rules governing foreign trade barrier investigations, and the ministry will take corresponding measures based on the findings to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests, the spokesperson said.
These investigations were announced a day after a meeting in Cameroon between China’s Commerce Minister Wang Wentao and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, ahead of the summit scheduled in mid-May in Beijing between the presidents of both countries.
During the meeting, Wang expressed Beijing’s serious concerns over the investigations launched by the US under Section 301 against several economies, including China, based on accusations of overcapacity and an alleged failure to ban imports of products linked to forced labor.
The Chinese minister also said that both countries should avoid vicious competition, maintain close communication, and move forward together to promote the «healthy, stable and sustainable» development of bilateral ties. EFE
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