China appeals WTO's decision on tariffs imposed on US goods brought by Trump administration

This week, China appealed a decision by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to reject the country's tariffs on US goods worth $2.4 billion, claiming that the judgement was wrong, Bloomberg reported.

According to the report, a statement was released on Tuesday that acknowledged the appeal, the Ministry of Commerce stated that “China believes that the expert panel's decision in this case contains legal errors.” The country is contesting the WTO panel's decision "to protect its rights and interests.”

When China implemented the tariffs in retaliation for the steel and aluminium tariffs imposed by the previous administration of President Donald Trump, the WTO concluded last month that China had broken its fundamental trade commitments.

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The panel agreed with the Washington’s assertions that Beijing had broken previous trade agreements it made when it joined the WTO and that Beijing's tariffs prevented it from receiving the treatment of a so-called most-favorable nation.

China's tariffs, according to the commerce ministry's announcement on Tuesday, were enacted in retaliation for “unilateral and protectionist” actions taken by the US. The conflict began during the early stages of Trump's trade war, when his government levied 10% per cent tariffs on imports of aluminium and 25 per cent tariffs on steel from around the world.

Because the WTO administrative body has been inactive since 2019, a Beijing appeal serves as a veto.

(With inputs from Bloomberg)

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