US steel probe 'reflects trade protectionism'

China will safeguard the interests of its steel producers by appealing to the World Trade Organization after the United States launched an investigation of Chinese companies for alleged price-fixing, the Ministry of Commerce said on Friday.

The ministry said the country was resolutely opposed to the US decision and would encourage its companies to legally defend their interests.

The US International Trade Commission said on Thursday that it would investigate a complaint by Pittsburgh-based US Steel Corp, which claimed that Chinese steelmakers and distributors conspired to fix prices, stole trade secrets via computer hacking and misrepresented the origin of their exports to the US.