China wins WTO ruling against U.S. dumping rules

GENEVA (Reuters) - China won the bulk of its complaint against the United States in a ruling on Wednesday by a World Trade Organization dispute panel, after challenging U.S. rules on "dumping" of goods.

China brought the complaint in December 2013, one of a string of disputes challenging Washington's way of assessing "dumping", or exporting at unfairly cheap prices.

Some points of China's argument were rejected by the WTO panel, and either side could appeal the ruling within 60 days.

China's ministry of commerce welcomed the ruling saying that the WTO panel had "upheld China's principal claims" on the unlawfulness of targeted dumping and the separate rate applied in certain U.S. anti-dumping measures.

The dispute related to several industries including machinery and electronics, light industry, metals and minerals, with an annual export value of up to $8.4 billion, it said.

There was no immediate comment by the U.S. Trade Representative's office.

(Reporting by Tom Miles; editing by Stephanie Nebehay and Dominic Evans)