Beijing sues Australia at WTO over tariffs in hit to strained ties

China sued Australia over anti-dumping measures on some Chinese goods, further ratcheting up tensions between the two nations.
 
China filed a lawsuit at the World Trade Organization over Australian anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures on Chinese exports of railway wheels, wind towers and stainless steel sinks, the Ministry of Commerce said Thursday in Beijing. This would be the third recent WTO case between the two countries, after Australia sued over Chinese tariffs on wine and barley.
 
Relations between the sides have steadily worsened since 2018, when Australia barred Huawei Technologies Co. from building its 5G network, and went into freefall last year as Prime Minister Scott Morrison led calls for an independent probe into the origins of the coronavirus that first emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

 

Beijing has responded with tariffs and restrictions on imports of coal, barley, lobsters and wine.
 
China opposes nations abusing trade-remedy measures that damage the legitimate rights of Chinese companies and undermine the authority of WTO rules, Ministry of Commerce Spokesman Gao Feng told reporters Thursday in Beijing.
 
 
China hopes Australia can avoid distorting goods trade, and bring it back to a normal track as soon as possible, he said.
 
Australia will “vigorously defend” the case, Trade Minister Dan Tehan told reporters after the announcement.