China to appeal to WTO to quash American duties imposed on 22 exports

CHINA says it will appeal for adjudication from the World Trade Organisation's (WTO) Dispute Settlement Body on August 31 on US over duties imposed on 22 Chinese exports, Reuters reported.

China said the duties affect exports worth US$7.3 billion of products including wind towers, steel pipe, wires, wood flooring and citric acid. China first brought a complaint in May over the duties, which the US imposed on exports of certain products that it said were receiving illegal subsidies from Beijing.

China first complained to the WTO in May by asking the United States for formal "consultations" to explain the duties, which Washington says are intended to offset illegal subsidies that gave Chinese goods an unfair price advantage.

WTO rules entitle China to demand adjudication after a 60 day period of consultations. The office of the US Trade Representative said in May that China's decision to bring the dispute to the WTO was "premature and not an appropriate use of dispute settlement system resources", because the US Department of Commerce was already working to address the issues raised by China.