China files WTO complaint over US tariff measures

By Fatih Erel

GENEVA

China on Thursday filed a complaint with World Trade Organization (WTO) over $50 billion worth of tariff measures taken by the U.S. on 1,300 Chinese goods.

"China has requested consultations with the United States under the WTO’s dispute settlement mechanism regarding the United States’ tariff measures on certain Chinese goods," WTO said in a statement on Thursday.

According to the statement, China claims the tariffs would be in excess of the U.S.' bound rates and are inconsistent with the general agreement on tariffs and trade.

"The request for consultations formally initiates a dispute in the WTO. Consultations give the parties an opportunity to discuss the matter and to find a satisfactory solution without proceeding further with litigation," WTO said.

"After 60 days, if consultations have failed to resolve the dispute, the complainant may request adjudication by a panel," the organization said.

The U.S. announced on Tuesday that it plans to impose $50 billion worth of tariffs on 1,300 Chinese goods.

Some of the goods that are intended to have tariffs imposed are machinery and electronics, stainless steel, iron products, aluminum alloy, hydraulic and gas turbines, aircraft propellers, dryers, water heaters, dishwashers and textile machines.

In response to U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports, China took retaliatory steps early Wednesday and said it would impose 25 percent tariffs on 106 U.S. goods worth $50 billion.

Earlier this week, Beijing imposed tariffs on $3 billion worth of U.S. products in response to the Trump administration's tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.