China launches trade barrier probes into US actions

BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- China's commerce ministry on Friday announced trade barrier investigations into U.S. actions and measures which harm global production and supply chains as well as impede trading of green products.

On March 12 (Beijing Time), the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative launched a Section 301 investigation of China and 15 other economies on grounds of alleged "overcapacity," followed by another Section 301 investigation on March 13 targeting China and 59 other economies.

China expressed strong dissatisfaction with and firm opposition to both moves, said a spokesperson with the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) in response to a media query on Friday.

To resolutely safeguard the interests of China's relevant industries, the ministry launched the two probes in accordance with China's Foreign Trade Law and its rules on foreign trade barrier investigations, said the spokesperson.

The commerce ministry will advance these investigations in compliance with the law and the rules, and take corresponding measures based on the findings, according to the spokesperson.

In its two announcements on Friday, the MOC stressed that the United States has adopted multiple practices and measures that may gravely harm the trade interests of Chinese enterprises, with some potentially violating World Trade Organization rules and other economic and trade treaties or agreements jointly concluded or participated in by China and the United States.

Preliminary evidence and information obtained by the MOC indicate that these practices and measures include, but are not limited to, restricting or banning the export of high-tech products to China, curbing bilateral investment in key sectors, restricting exports of green products to the United States, delaying deployment of new energy projects, and limiting technological cooperation related to green products, according to the statements.