China urges EU to resolve mutual trade concerns through dialogue

BEIJING -- China expects the European Commission to work with China to resolve mutual concerns through dialogue and consultation, thereby creating an open and stable market environment for industries from both sides, the Ministry of Commerce said Thursday.

Ministry spokesperson He Yadong made the remarks while responding to questions concerning Spanish reports which suggested that the European pork industry would ultimately "foot the bill" for problems initially triggered by trade tensions in the automotive sector.

China's anti-dumping investigation into relevant European Union pork products was initiated in response to applications from domestic industries — and the investigation has been conducted in full compliance with Chinese legal procedures and World Trade Organization rules, with all parties' rights fully protected, He said.

The preliminary ruling was made objectively, fairly and impartially, he noted, while adding that the investigation would continue to be advanced in accordance with laws and regulations.

China has always used trade remedy measures with prudence and restraint, He said, adding that China has not initiated any original investigations into the EU this year and had made rulings in only three cases.

This stands in stark contrast with the EU, which has launched seven original investigations aimed at Chinese products this year, accounting for nearly 40 percent of the EU's total externally targeted trade investigations.

Particularly in the anti-subsidy case targeting electric vehicles, the EU chose to initiate the investigation on its own — without any formal application from its domestic industry, He highlighted.

He pointed out that the EU investigation process and conclusions had been unreasonable and non-compliant, and that trade remedy measures were abused on the basis of so-called "threat of injury" speculation. In response, China has made an appeal to the WTO dispute settlement mechanism, he said.

Nevertheless, in implementing the consensus reached during the China-EU leaders' meeting, China has consistently demonstrated utmost sincerity by engaging in over 20 rounds of consultations with the European side, striving to find mutually acceptable solutions, He said.

Dialogue and cooperation represent the shared aspiration of industries and the common expectation of our peoples, He remarked.

China's commitment to open cooperation remains unwavering, He stressed, adding that the principle of resolving issues via dialogue and consultation remains unchanged — while China is fully prepared for tackling issues by way of consultation and dialogue.