China on Thursday dismissed the United States’ (US) assessment of Beijing’s World Trade Organisation (WTO) membership, with China’s Commerce Ministry claiming that Washington’s criticism has “no basis in international economic and trade rules.”
In an annual report submitted to the Congress by the office of the US Trade Representative, Ambassador Katherine Tai, on Wednesday, Washington stressed that China has a “long history of violating, disregarding and circumventing WTO rules to achieve its industrial policy objectives.”
Accusing China of failing to meet its WTO commitments even 20 years after its accession to the body, the report blamed Beijing for not adopting the rules of the WTO and for retaining and expanding its “state-led, non-market approach.” The US asserts that this practice has been detrimental to businesses and workers globally.
China refuted the claims, saying that they are “completely at odds with the facts.” Ministry of Commerce spokesperson Gao Feng reasoned that “there are many different market economic models.”
The Office of the US Trade Representative accused China of failing to meet its commitments to the WTO & said it is exploring new ways to combat aggressive Chinese trade practices causing serious harm to workers & businesses around the world. pic.twitter.com/JkxlHBhZMR
— DD India (@DDIndialive) February 17, 2022
“The United States should make its trade tools conform to WTO rules, rather than adopting a different set, pursuing unilateralism, protectionism and bullying in the name of seeking a new strategy,” Gao said during his regular press conference yesterday. “At present, the economic and trade teams of the two sides are maintaining normal communications,” the spokesperson added.
Addressing claims that the Biden administration is exploring new ways to combat the Asian giant’s aggressive trade practices, Gao expressed hope that the US would “adopt rational and pragmatic economic and trade policies toward China.”
In parallel news, the US also backed the European Union’s (EU) case at the Geneva-based trade body against China’s trading malpractices against Lithuania. Canada, France, Japan, Britain, and Australia are also supporting the case against Beijing.
Earlier this month, China suspended all imports of beef, dairy products, and beer from Lithuania as their row deepens over diplomacy with Taiwan. China has also halted rail freight to the European nation and suspended the trading licenses of Lithuanian producers over the last few months.
The EU claims that it has gathered evidence of China’ refusing to clear Lithuanian goods through customs, rejecting import applications, and pressuring companies operating from other EU member states to eliminate Lithuanian inputs from their supply chains when exporting to China.
For several years, Washington has denounced Chinese economic practices. This includes government subsidies for public companies, accusations of stealing intellectual property, and forcibly transferring research and technology from foreign companies in exchange for market access.