Raw materials: WTO sets up China-USA consultation panel

By

Matthieu Guinebault

Translated by
Nicola Mira

Published
Nov 16, 2016

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has accepted the USA's request for the creation of a 'dispute settlement panel' regarding restrictions on Chinese raw material exports. A first bipartite consultation had previously fallen through.
 

Since joining the WTO, China has committed to eliminating the duties on the exports of some of its products (towards the USA and the EU), including those on cobalt, graphite, magnesium and chromium.

More specifically, apparel is heavily involved in this, notably for tech materials and accessories.

China has expressed its disappointment, since the request was formulated, as talks started with the US government. And after the Chinese government published on 31st October its 'Total Export Quotas of Industrial Products and Agricultural Products 2017' document, with a new perspective on the issues which lie at the source of the tensions between Washington and Beijing.
 
Several countries have "reserved their third-party rights", in order to be able to benefit from the decisions taken by the panel.

They are the European Union, Brazil, Canada, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Mexico, Norway, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam.