China protests EU probe into shoe imports

Agence France Presse

Beijing, June 26:

China today expressed strong opposition to an European Union (EU) investigation into its shoe

exports and accused Brussels of manipulating trade figures and causing trade friction.

“The Chinese side strongly opposes the launching of an anti-dumping investigation by the EU which is being done without a practical or legal basis,” said commerce ministry spokesman Chong Quan in a statement on the ministry website, “China urges the EU to start with the facts, make prudent decisions and avoid trade frictions.”

Beijing had lodged formal representations with the EU on alleged errors in calculating trade statistics and urged Brussels to check its data, Chong said. European trade chief Peter Mandelson announced last week an anti-dumping probe into imports of Chinese work shoes. The EU commission has nine months to determine either it is ‘dumping’ or not.