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China calls for halt on protectionism

By Jiang Wei and Wang Bo (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-07-04 13:31

Special Coverage: 2009 Global Think Tank Summit Related readings:  China's new policy calls for fair play, not protectionism  China's role crucial for global financial reform  US dumping probe smacks of protectionism: experts  Protectionism becomes 'more intense'

China has urged the United States to drop measures limiting imports of Chinese products in a bid against protectionism.

Countries should not take protectionist measures against the WTO rules, and stem the abuse of WTO trade remedy measures, deputy minister of commerce Yi Xiaozhun said at the Global Think Tank Summit in Beijing Saturday.

"The US special safeguard provision on Chinese products is a symbolic protectionist measure and should be abandoned," Yi said.

The minister said it was important to implement the G20 commitment, which could effectively prevent the massive resurgence of protectionist sentiment across the world.

He also called for pushing forward the Doha round negotiation, which he believed is also key in fighting against protectionism.

"If countries could be two to three times more open to each other than the current level, it could generate $150 billion in direct returns to the world," he said.