China launches investigations into US trade practices. Why now?

he Trump administration has initiated a series of sweeping trade investigations that could lead to fresh tariffs after the US Supreme Court struck down its previous duties.

Photo: TNS Beijing has launched two trade barrier investigations into the United States in response to a pair of Section 301 probes that allege unfair trade practices by China and other economies and could pave the way for Washington to reimpose higher tariffs.

According to the Ministry of Commerce, the investigations would focus on US measures deemed harmful to global industrial and supply chains, including those that obstruct trade in green products.

The ministry said in a statement on Friday that “preliminary evidence and information” suggested that Washington may have restricted or banned Chinese goods from the US market; curbed exports of advanced technology products to China; limited two-way investment in critical sectors; slowed the roll-out of new energy projects; and restricted cooperation on green product technologies.

If confirmed, these practices would “seriously harm” the interests of Chinese companies, the ministry warned, adding that some of the measures could violate World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and past bilateral agreements.

Both investigations are expected to be completed within six months, though the deadline can be extended once by up to three months.

Beijing recently concluded a similar trade investigation into Mexico, accusing the country of imposing trade and investment barriers by levying tariffs on Chinese goods.

Under Chinese law, once a restriction is identified, officials may respond with a wide range of tools – diplomatic negotiations, reciprocal countermeasures, WTO dispute settlement proceedings, anti-dumping investigations, export controls and entity blacklisting.

The latest investigations were announced one day after Commerce Minister Wang Wentao met US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on the sidelines of a WTO meeting in Yaounde, Cameroon.

At that meeting, Wang reiterated Beijing’s objections to Washington’s investigations, while Greer said the US side was willing to step up discussions under the WTO framework.

Trade talks between the world’s two largest economies appear to have lost momentum in recent months, with no breakthrough announced at the latest round of negotiations held in Paris in mid-March.

In the French capital, the US side explained the Section 301 investigations to their Chinese counterparts, who declared their oppo

原文链接: 南华早报