China held key talks with the United States on the controversial US
safeguard tariffs on steel imports in Washington over the weekend,
demanding exemption or compensation in accordance with
World Trade Organization (WTO)
rules.
This is the first time that China has executed its rights as a WTO
member after joining it in December.
The Chinese delegation claimed the US action flouted WTO rules and
asked the US side to exempt China from the tariffs as it did to
many other developing countries.
It
demanded compensation for losses incurred on Chinese iron and steel
companies by the US steel tariffs while reiterating that China
retains the right to take further action within the WTO
framework.
The Chinese delegation was headed by Shang Ming,
commissioner-general of the Fair Trade Bureau of Imports and
Exports under the Ministry of Foreign
Trade and Economic Cooperation (MOFTEC).
A
MOFTEC spokesman said China asked on Friday to join the European
Union and the US panel under the WTO dispute resolution
mechanism.
US
President George W. Bush slapped safeguard tariffs of 8 percent to
30 percent on several types of imported steel on March 5 in an
effort to help the ailing US industry. The tariffs took effect on
Wednesday.
The tariffs exempted countries that have signed free trade
agreements with the United States -- Canada, Israel, Jordan and
Mexico -- and developing countries with only limited steel exports
to the United States.
Australia has negotiated an exemption to most of the tariffs, with
Prime Minister John Howard saying on March 11 that 85 percent of
Australian steel exports to the United States would not be affected
by the new tariffs.
The US protectionism measures have triggered angry attacks from
major trading partners.
Japan and South Korea lodged a protest at the WTO on the day the
measures took effect.
The European Union has already launched a similar bid for the WTO
to rule on the legality of the US move.
It
also drew up on Friday a list of US products to be hit with
punitive import taxes in retaliation for the duties.
(China
Daily March 25, 2002)