China denies trade friction with US over sorghum imports

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The Chinese Ministry of Commerce Thursday reiterated that the anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations into sorghum imports from the US announced recently is a routine procedure, saying China is opposed to employing remedial trade measures without restraint in a tit-for-tat manner.

The ministry affirmed symposiums were held with various associations of crop growers including soybean and cotton producers.

It, however, denied that these meetings were initiated in consideration of the newly imposed US tariffs on solar panels and washing machines.

Despite the ministry's denial, talks with agriculture groups including soybean and cotton grower associations revealed the farmers were concerned about trade friction with the US, particularly regarding imports.

Ministry of Commerce Spokesman Gao Feng did not indicate launching anti-dumping probes, expressing hope to find a solution through cooperation.

Beijing said preliminary evidence shows the US government subsidized its sorghum exports, adding that the volume exported to China increased by a twelve-fold in a three-year period until 2016.

Meanwhile, the prices of US sorghum exports to China plunged further by more than 30 percent during the period, said Gao, citing customs data.

The US now holds almost 60 percent of China's sorghum market, rising from 8 percent, and the Chinese farmers have felt its impact.

In the investigation into sorghum imports from the US, Beijing reiterated that the investigation into American sorghum imports – worth about 1 billion US dollars a year – is a normal trade remedy case.

It said the country would strictly follow the World Trade Organization rules, as well as its own laws, expressing hope that the US would abide by international rules to appropriately resolve trade friction through dialogue and cooperation so the agricultural sectors in the two countries could develop together.