China has appealed a July World Trade Organization (WTO) decision on additional US tariffs on imports of solar panels, steel products and other Chinese goods. At the same time, the WTO favored Beijing in the case, and according to Reuters, it is not clear why China is appealing. Beijing has yet to comment on the matter.
The WTO arbitration panel announced a month ago, of the counter assignment The United States has imposed tariffs on a number of Chinese goods, violates the rules of international trade. This supports Beijing’s May 2012 complaint.
Washington has imposed retaliatory duties on imports of more than two dozen Chinese products over alleged state subsidies. The annual volume of exports of Chinese goods to the US is about 7.2 billion dollars (152 billion CZK). These include, for example, solar panels, products made of steel, aluminum, wood and paper or wind farm poles.
Disputes escalated
The trade dispute between the world’s two largest economies has escalated in recent years. In early July, the WTO Appellate Body upheld the findings of the original arbitration panel, which dismissed Beijing’s complaint against the US Export Subsidies Act in September 2012. The dispute also covered a range of products from photovoltaic cells and solar modules to steel, aluminum and tires.
China has been a member of the WTO since 2001. Because of its cheap exports, it also has trade disputes with other countries that accuse it of illegal subsidies and dumping.
