China considers taking more actions about steel pipe trade dispute

A Chinese worker directs a crane to lift reinforcing steel rods at a steel plant in Huaibei city, East China's Anhui province, Jan 20, 2015. [Photo/IC]

BEIJING - An official of China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said on Saturday that the ministry will consider taking possible actions in response to a ruling by the World Trade Organization (WTO) panel about a steel pipe trade dispute.

"China will seriously evaluate the WTO panel report and consider taking possible actions," a written statement on the MOC website cited an official as saying.

In December of 2013, the MOC decided to impose provisional anti-dumping measures on imported high-performance stainless steel seamless tubes from the European Union (EU), Japan and the United States for "substantial damage" to Chinese industry.

The remarks of the official, who is in charge of the treaty and law department of the MOC, came one day after the WTO panel made public its rulings over the trade dispute.

The panel supports China's standpoints on issues such as the concrete analysis about price reduction and price impact, the official said.

However, China has reservations on the panel's rulings about issues such as the dumping margin and fair comparison, the official added.

High-performance stainless steel seamless tubes are used mainly for super heaters and reheaters of super-critical boilers in power stations.