China files complaint against US at World Trade Organization

Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) - International Service: The US president on Saturday ordered tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada and China, demanding that they stop the flow of the opioid fentanyl and, in the case of Canada and Mexico, illegal immigration. Trump later suspended the tariffs on the two North American countries, but the Chinese tariffs remained in place.

 

China, which has been hit by Trump's 10 percent tariff on Chinese exports, had promised to challenge the move at the World Trade Organization.

 

In a statement cited by the WTO, China said the tariffs appeared to be discriminatory and inconsistent with US commitments under the agreement that created the trade body.

 

China’s statement said: “China reserves the right to raise further actions and claims on issues identified during the consultations and in any future request for the establishment of a panel.”

 

The WTO’s dispute settlement system has been effectively paralyzed since December 2019, following the dissolution of its Appellate Body, which has the final say on disputes. The first Trump administration and the Joe Biden administration blocked the appointment of new judges to the Appellate Body because of what they saw as excessive adjudication of disputes. The Appellate Body is unable to function with fewer than three judges, according to Reuters.