China plans WTO complaint over US poultry curbs
Friday, 13 March 2009
BEIJING, Mar 12 (AFP): China plans to lodge a complaint with the World Trade Organisation over what it calls "discriminatory" US legislation targeting Chinese poultry imports, a government statement said.
The complaint would be filed in response to the US spending bill signed by President Barack Obama on Wednesday, which contains a clause opposing imports of Chinese poultry, a commerce ministry statement said.
"This is a typical discriminatory and trade protectionist move that seriously violates WTO regulations," said the statement by spokesman Yao Jian posted on the ministry's website on Wednesday.
"China will file a complaint with the WTO and reserves the right to take further measures," Yao said, without specifying what those measures might be.
China and the United States halted imports of each side's poultry in 2004 over fears about the spread of bird flu.
Imports of some US poultry products to China have since resumed but Chinese officials have complained that the United States continues to hold up reciprocal imports of Chinese poultry.
Commerce ministry figures show that China imported 580,000 tonnes of US chicken products last year, accounting for 73.4 per cent of total chicken imports, Xinhua news agency said this week.
The complaint would be filed in response to the US spending bill signed by President Barack Obama on Wednesday, which contains a clause opposing imports of Chinese poultry, a commerce ministry statement said.
"This is a typical discriminatory and trade protectionist move that seriously violates WTO regulations," said the statement by spokesman Yao Jian posted on the ministry's website on Wednesday.
"China will file a complaint with the WTO and reserves the right to take further measures," Yao said, without specifying what those measures might be.
China and the United States halted imports of each side's poultry in 2004 over fears about the spread of bird flu.
Imports of some US poultry products to China have since resumed but Chinese officials have complained that the United States continues to hold up reciprocal imports of Chinese poultry.
Commerce ministry figures show that China imported 580,000 tonnes of US chicken products last year, accounting for 73.4 per cent of total chicken imports, Xinhua news agency said this week.