On July 5, WTO distributed its Panel Report to WTO members concerning the written complaints by the United States, the European Union and Mexico regarding “China — Measures Related to the Exportation of Various Raw Materials”. The Panel made its verdict in the following seven aspects: issues relating to the panel's terms of reference, export duties, export quotas, china's defenses to export restrictions, export quota allocation and administration, export licensing, and minimum export prices. The responsible official of the Department of Treaty and Law under Chinese Ministry of Commerce made comments on the issues.

The official said that the Chinese side has noticed the Panel supports most of China’s opinions and position on terms of reference, export quota allocation and administration, and export licensing, confirmation on China measures related to export prices, and China’s comprehensive administration measures on refractory clay and fluorspar, which China highly appreciates. The Panel verdict that the export duties and export quotas measures at issue are not consistent with China's commitments on its accession to the WTO and WTO rules, and do not meet the conditions of the escape clauses of protecting exhaustible natural resources and protecting human life and health, which China is regretful for.

He pointed out that, in recent years, in the need of protecting environment and natural resources that can be exhausted, the Chinese government has strengthened the administrative measures on part of resource products, especially high-pollution, high-energy-consumption, and resource based products. China believes that, though the implementation of these measures will influence the users at home and abroad, they are in accordance with the objective of sustainable development WTO advocated, and conducive to the healthy development of resource based industry. China will implement scientific administrative measures to resource products according to WTO rules, maintain fair competition, and promote sustainable development.

He said that China is evaluating report of the Panel, and will promptly and properly deal with the follow-up work concerning the case based on WTO dispute settlement procedure.

(All information published in this website is authentic in Chinese. English is provided for reference only. )

(All information published on this website is authentic in Chinese. English is provided for reference only.)