China accused the U.S. of starting the biggest trade war in history
BEIJING, 6 Aug — RIA Novosti. In Beijing criticized Washington’s decision to impose duties on Chinese goods.
“The United States violated WTO rules and initiated the largest in the economic history of a trade war”, — reads the statement of the Ministry of Commerce of China.
It is noted that Beijing will not “strike first”, but forced to take countermeasures.
In addition, the Ministry intends “to notify the WTO on the situation” and “together with all countries to ensure the protection of the system of multilateral free trade”.
Trade relations between the US and China
In early April, the U.S. released a list of the 1.3 thousand Chinese products, against which can impose import duties as a response to the violation by China of intellectual property rights for American products.
In response, China’s state Council decided on the introduction of fees in the amount of 25% on the 106 items of goods imported from the United States. In may, the parties agreed that there will be a trade war and will cease to impose mutual duties. However, later it turned out that to reach agreement on trade issues, has not yet succeeded, and Washington has announced a new duty.
In mid-June, the US imposed a 25 percent duty on goods from China, it affected about a tenth part of Chinese imports to America. The new fees will affect imports of Chinese goods that contain important industrial technologies in the amount of $ 50 billion. Duties will start to charge from 6 July.
China, in turn, immediately announced that it would impose a 25 percent import duty on 659 items imported from the US goods worth $ 50 billion. Customs duty will partially act as from 6 July.