It's a pity for the United States to seek consultation process at the
World Trade Organization over China's industrial subsidies, a spokesman for
the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said yesterday.
Actually the two countries have kept bilateral contact over the issue all
along, the spokesman said.
China is deliberating the consultation proposal from the United States, the
spokesman said.
The United States on Friday formally asked for a consultation process at the
WTO over China's industrial subsidies.
The US government has filed a complaint with the WTO, alleging that China is
using government support to help its companies compete in world markets, thus
creating an unfair playing field, trade sources in Geneva said.
By filing the complaint, the United States asked for a consultation process
with China in Geneva, which is the first stage of the dispute settlement
procedure of the world trade body.
The consultation will usually last two months once it is started. If it
fails, a WTO panel of experts will be formed to handle the dispute.
