China has launched a formal trade dispute with the European Union over EU anti-dumping measures against imports of Chinese screws and bolts, China's mission to the World Trade Organisation said on Friday. The dispute is the first launched by China at the global trade watchdog against the European Union, which Beijing said was one of the most frequent users of anti-dumping measures against China. China said in a statement it was seeking consultations with the EU under the WTO's trade disputes procedure. Policy-makers and economists are closely tracking the use of anti-dumping measures – duties imposed on imports that are sold for less than they cost at home – to see if they are being abused for protectionist purposes in the economic crisis. China believes that Brussels failed to comply with WTO rules when it investigated the imports of fasteners and imposed the measures, the statement said. “The determinations made are neither impartial nor transparent, which infringes the legitimate commercial interests of over 1,700 Chinese fastener producers,” it said. China said the EU had carried out over 140 anti-dumping investigations of Chinese imports in the last 30 years. “The Chinese side opposes consistently any abuse of anti-dumping actions and rising of trade protectionism,” said the world's second biggest exporter and third biggest importer. It said it hoped the dispute could be resolved through consultations, which are the first stage in a trade dispute, usually lasting 60 days. If the consultations fail the matter moves to WTO litigation.
