China objects to first EU anti-subsidy duties
Source: Agencies |
May 15, 2011, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINA opposes the European Union's decision to impose its first-ever anti-subsidy and anti-dumping duties on imports from China, said Ministry of Commerce (MOC) spokesman Yao Jian yesterday.
Yao made the remarks in a statement on the MOC website after the EU announced its anti-subsidy and anti-dumping duties on Chinese coated fine paper - used for high-quality printing.
The European Union yesterday imposed a five-year hike in duties on imports of glossy paper from China, the first EU challenge to Chinese state subsidies and a sign of more to come.
The bloc said it would charge duties worth a maximum of 12 percent to combat what it says is illegal Chinese state aid that is hurting EU producers, as well as duties of up to 35.1 percent to counteract what it says is illegal pricing by Chinese exporters.
The EU has violated World Trade Organization rules by imposing both anti-subsidy and anti-dumping trade remedies on the same goods, MOC spokesman Yao said.
The Chinese government and enterprises provided much evidence to show the coated fine paper industry in China is a competitive one where market economy principles are applied and the government has never intervened in company operations or goods pricing, Yao said.
The EU ruling defied many WTO rules and seriously impaired the interests of Chinese enterprises, Yao said.
China and the EU should oppose trade protection, avoid abuses of trade remedies and properly tackle trade frictions through negotiations, Yao said.
China will carefully study and evaluate the final ruling and reserve its right to take legal action accordingly to protect the interests of Chinese enterprises, Yao said.
Although the sector is small - Europe imported only about 130 million euros' (US$183.4 million) worth of Chinese coated fine paper in 2009 for brochures and coffee-table books - this challenge has been seen as the start of a trend.
"This is the first time ever we have put in place measures against the strategic and targeted subsidization of a specific industry by the Chinese government," said EU Commission spokesman John Clancy.
EU firms have been reluctant to follow that call openly, for fear of retaliation against their operations in China.
Indonesian paper giant Asia Pulp and Paper (APP), which exports paper to Europe from China through two subsidiaries, has been hit by combined duty of 20 percent. It rejected the EU move as factually flawed and said it would explore legal options.
"This decision is clearly a protectionist measure by the EU and hurts Europe's printers and publishers at a time when they are already being squeezed by the economic situation and inflated prices driven by EU CFP producers," said Jukka Kantola, APP's head of European business development.
(Xinhua/Agencies)
Yao made the remarks in a statement on the MOC website after the EU announced its anti-subsidy and anti-dumping duties on Chinese coated fine paper - used for high-quality printing.
The European Union yesterday imposed a five-year hike in duties on imports of glossy paper from China, the first EU challenge to Chinese state subsidies and a sign of more to come.
The bloc said it would charge duties worth a maximum of 12 percent to combat what it says is illegal Chinese state aid that is hurting EU producers, as well as duties of up to 35.1 percent to counteract what it says is illegal pricing by Chinese exporters.
The EU has violated World Trade Organization rules by imposing both anti-subsidy and anti-dumping trade remedies on the same goods, MOC spokesman Yao said.
The Chinese government and enterprises provided much evidence to show the coated fine paper industry in China is a competitive one where market economy principles are applied and the government has never intervened in company operations or goods pricing, Yao said.
The EU ruling defied many WTO rules and seriously impaired the interests of Chinese enterprises, Yao said.
China and the EU should oppose trade protection, avoid abuses of trade remedies and properly tackle trade frictions through negotiations, Yao said.
China will carefully study and evaluate the final ruling and reserve its right to take legal action accordingly to protect the interests of Chinese enterprises, Yao said.
Although the sector is small - Europe imported only about 130 million euros' (US$183.4 million) worth of Chinese coated fine paper in 2009 for brochures and coffee-table books - this challenge has been seen as the start of a trend.
"This is the first time ever we have put in place measures against the strategic and targeted subsidization of a specific industry by the Chinese government," said EU Commission spokesman John Clancy.
EU firms have been reluctant to follow that call openly, for fear of retaliation against their operations in China.
Indonesian paper giant Asia Pulp and Paper (APP), which exports paper to Europe from China through two subsidiaries, has been hit by combined duty of 20 percent. It rejected the EU move as factually flawed and said it would explore legal options.
"This decision is clearly a protectionist measure by the EU and hurts Europe's printers and publishers at a time when they are already being squeezed by the economic situation and inflated prices driven by EU CFP producers," said Jukka Kantola, APP's head of European business development.
(Xinhua/Agencies)
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