China warns against EU's abuse of trade remedy measures

BEIJING - China said Thursday that the EU should avoid abusing trade remedy measures, following the European Commission's latest decision to impose anti-dumping duties on some Chinese steel products.

On Thursday, the European Commission decided to impose duties from 19.7 to 22.1 percent on cold rolled steel products imported from China, a second move to impose anti-dumping duties on Chinese steel products this week, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said in a statement.

The move will raise the price of related products in the EU and hurt the competitiveness of its manufacturing sector, the ministry said, adding that the retroactive duty collection "raises legal uncertainties and severely hinders normal international trade."

"China regrets these consecutive trade protectionist moves and urges the EU to honor its commitments made under international circumstances," the statement said.

Trade ministers of the G20 reached a consensus to stand against trade protectionism at a meeting in Shanghai last month.

The EU should avoid the abuse of trade remedy measures and "avoid sending a wrong signal to the outside world," according to the MOC.

China maintains that trade remedy measures should be used in a prudent and restrained way and voiced willingness to improve communication with the EU to properly solve the current problems facing the steel industry, it added.