WTO Sets Up Dispute Panel on Australia's AD/CVD Measures on Chinese Goods

World Trade Organization members agreed at the Feb. 28 meeting of the Dispute Settlement Body to set up a dispute panel to look at China's complaint concerning Australia's antidumping duties and countervailing duties on Chinese goods, the WTO said Feb. 28. Australia imposed the AD duty measures to cover imports of wind towers, stainless steel sinks and railway wheels from China and the CVD measures to cover stainless steel sinks. China first requested a panel over the duties in January, but the request was blocked.

China alleged in its renewed request that Australia violated its WTO commitments by imposing the duties without a basis in fact but instead with an "opaque" explanation and "undisciplined" legal basis, the WTO said. Australia, in response, said that its trade remedy apparatus is "independent, transparent, nondiscriminatory and evidence based." The DSB agreed to set up the panel with the EU, the U.S., Russia, Canada, Brazil, Switzerland, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, India, Taiwan and Japan reserving their rights to take part in the proceedings, the WTO said.