China faces 40 trade probes in first half of the year

Lianyungang, a port in eastern China's Jiangsu province.
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China faced 40 trade investigations raised by 18 countries and regions in the first half of this year, according to Shen Danyang, spokesman for the country's commerce ministry.

The number of investigations grew up 38% from a year earlier, with total trade of US$3.7 billion involved.

China Export & Credit Insurance Corporation Fujian handled 143 cases claiming loss in trade in the first five months, up 30% compared to the same period of last year, including 53 of those filed by European companies, 212% growth from a year earlier, reported Shanghai's First Financial Daily.

Li Chenggang, director of the treaty and law department at the Ministry of Commerce, said Chinese authorities filed 22 cases related to the United States with the World Trade Organization in May and is awaiting response from the US side.

The European Union has recently announced investigations into countervailing duties and antidumping tariffs related to Chinese photovoltaic products. Some wireless products from Chinese telecom equipment makers Huawei and ZTE in the European market may be the targets of a next round of investigation.

"If the EU starts an investigation into wireless products, the money involved will be the largest amount the country has ever faced," said Li.