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11:41, 28-Apr-2018
Chinese diplomat: US 'Section 301' challenges foundation of multilateral trade system
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The "unilateral nature" of the revived US "Section 301" investigation now challenges the foundation of the rules-based multilateral trading system, a Chinese diplomat said on Friday during a meeting of Dispute Settlement Body of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The diplomat delivered a statement outlining China's concerns regarding the US "Section 301" conclusions on China's alleged violations of intellectual property rights and proposed measures, including imposing additional tariffs on Chinese imports.
He recalled that since the enactment into law of "Section 301" in 1974, a large number of WTO members, including the European Union, Japan, Canada, South Korea, etc., have been subject to "Section 301" investigations, and some were later forced to open their markets to the US companies or became the target of retaliatory measures.
"23 years after the establishment of the WTO, Section 301 continues to serve as the tool of the US to take unilateral actions against other WTO members," said the diplomat.
The United States on April 3 announced tariffs on a proposed list of Chinese goods worth 50 billion US dollars, covering industries in aerospace, information and communication technology, robotics and machinery.
The list was authorized by the US Trade Representative's office, which in August 2017 initiated an unfounded investigation under the Section 301 of the US Trade Act of 1974 to probe China's intellectual property and technology transfer practices.
Source(s): Xinhua News Agency