China lodges tariff complaint against US with World Trade Organization

The Chinese Commerce Ministry said on Monday that it has launched a case against the United States with the World Trade Organization (WTO) over US import duties.

The move follows the latest round of Washington’s tariffs introduced on Chinese imports by the Trump administration on Sunday. The US began imposing 15 percent tariffs on a variety of Chinese goods, including footwear, smart watches, and flat-panel televisions. It is the first portion of tariffs targeting a combined total of $300 billion-worth of Chinese goods threatened by Washington, with another batch scheduled for December 15.

The US will also raise the existing 25 percent tariff on $250 billion-worth of Chinese products to 30 percent, starting next month.

As part of a tit-for-tat response, Beijing’s levies, that also took effect on Sunday, will target around $30 billion-worth of US imports, and mostly affect products which are sensitive for the US agricultural sector. China has also started imposing new duties on US crude.

The latest tariffs actions violated the consensus reached by the leaders of both countries during a meeting in Osaka, Japan, the ministry said. China will firmly defend its legal rights in accordance with WTO rules, it added.

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