China has taken a series of steps to counter US President Donald Trump’s tariffs hike, including a complaint with the World Trade Organisation, tariffs on some US products, blacklisting two US companies, and a probe against Google
China has taken a legal route to “defend its legitimate rights and interests” against the tariffs hike imposed on Chinese goods by US President Donald Trump. It has filed a complaint with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to protect itself from Trump’s “malicious” tariffs, according to an AFP report.
“This unilateral tariff hike by the US side seriously violates World Trade Organisation rules, does nothing to solve its own problems, and undermines normal China-US economic and trade cooperation,” said the China’s Cabinet in a statement, according to NBC News.
Earlier, a spokesperson from China's ministry of commerce criticised the 10% tariffs imposed on Chinese goods and hinted that the country would take legal measures to counter it.
US tariffs “seriously violate WTO rules and is an egregious act, representing typical unilateralism and trade protectionism,” said the spokesperson, according to NBC News.
Apart from eyeing the WTO to rescue Chinese goods from the US tariffs hike, China has imposed tariffs between 10% and 15% on some US products in retaliation, which is set to come into force from February 10. China will impose a 15% tariff on coal and liquefied natural gas and a 10% will be levied on crude oil, agricultural machinery and large-displacement automobiles and pickup trucks.
Additionally, China has blacklisted Calvin Klein owner PVH Corp. and US gene sequencing firm Illumina Inc. and has added them to “unreliable entity list”. China’s ministry of commerce said both companies violated principles of market transactions and were involved in activities that were detrimental for Chinese companies, according to Bloomberg.
The country’s State Administration for Market Regulation has launched an investigation against Google for alleged anti-trust violations and export restrictions on items related to rare earth elements that are significant for high-tech products. Although the tech giant stopped its internet and search engine services in the country in 2010, its presence in China is still there as some Chinese companies use the platform for advertisement.