China hits back at US report on its WTO compliance saying it lacks factual basis
- US Trade Representative’s office said negotiating new World Trade Organisation rules to try to rein in China’s “mercantilist” trade practices would be a futile exercise
- Last month, the Geneva-based arbiter of trade disputes launched an investigation into US President Donald Trump’s tariffs on US$250 billion of Chinese goods
China opposes a report by the US Trade Representative’s office on its World Trade Organisation compliance, the commerce ministry said, saying it is inconsistent with the facts.
The report was based on US domestic law rather than World Trade Organisation (WTO) agreements and multilateral rules, the ministry said in a statement late on Tuesday.
A considerable part of the accusations against China in the report exceeded its commitments to the WTO, lacking legal and factual basis, it added.
China firmly supports the multilateral trading system and participates in the reform of the WTO, and clearly opposes unilateralism and protectionism, it added.
Negotiating new WTO rules to try to rein in China’s “mercantilist” trade practices would be largely a futile exercise, the Trump administration’s trade office said on Monday, vowing to pursue its unilateral approach to protect US workers, farmers and businesses.
The US Trade Representative’s office used its annual report to the US Congress on China’s WTO compliance in part to justify its actions in a six-month trade war with Beijing aimed at forcing changes in China’s economic model.
US President Donald Trump said last week he would meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in coming weeks to try to seal a comprehensive trade deal with Beijing, but acknowledged it was not yet clear whether a deal could be reached.
