It's a pity for the United States to seek consultation process
at the World Trade Organization (WTO) over China's industrial
subsidies, a spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said
Saturday.
Actually the two countries have kept bilateral contact over the
issue all along, the spokesman said.
China is deliberating the consultation proposal from the United
States, the spokesman said.
The United States on Friday formally asked for a consultation
process at the WTO over China's industrial subsidies.
The US government has filed a complaint with the WTO, alleging
that China is using government support to help its companies
compete in world markets, thus creating an unfair playing field,
trade sources in Geneva said.
By filing the complaint, the United States asked for a
consultation process with China in Geneva, which is the first stage
of the dispute settlement procedure of the world trade body.
The consultation will usually last two months once it is
started. If it fails, a WTO panel of experts will be formed to
handle the dispute.
(Xinhua News Agency February 4, 2007)