Regarding the U.S. initiating 301 investigations against 60 economies including China, the Ministry of Commerce responds!

Source: Xinhua News Agency

The spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce responded to questions from reporters regarding the U.S. Office of the United States Trade Representative’s announcement of initiating a Section 301 investigation against 60 economies, including China, on the grounds of “not banning the import of forced labor products.”

Q: On March 12th, Eastern Time, the U.S. Trade Representative announced the initiation of a Section 301 investigation against 60 economies, including China, citing “not banning the import of forced labor products.” What is China’s comment on this?

A: China notes that on March 12th, Eastern Time, the U.S. initiated a Section 301 investigation against 60 economies, including China, under the pretext of “not banning the import of forced labor products.” This is another consecutive Section 301 investigation launched by the U.S. following the “overcapacity” investigation on March 11th.

The U.S. previously fabricated facts and imposed a series of trade restrictions against China under the guise of “forced labor.” China has repeatedly expressed its firm stance on this issue. China has always opposed forced labor, is one of the founding members of the International Labour Organization, has ratified 28 international labor conventions, and has established a comprehensive system of labor laws and regulations to prevent and combat forced labor.

To date, the U.S. has not ratified the 1930 Forced Labour Convention and refuses to be bound by international rules, yet it has long manipulated the issue of “forced labor.” The recent initiation of Section 301 investigations against China and related economies by the U.S. aims to build trade barriers, which is highly unilateral, arbitrary, and discriminatory, representing typical protectionist behavior. WTO expert panels have already ruled that U.S. Section 301 tariffs violate WTO rules. The U.S. once again misuses the Section 301 investigation process, placing domestic law above international rules, which is a serious mistake that severely undermines the security and stability of the global industrial and supply chains and disrupts international economic and trade order.

Currently, China and the U.S. are holding a new round of economic and trade consultations in Paris, France. China has lodged representations with the U.S. side. We urge the U.S. to immediately correct its wrongful practices, work with China in the spirit of mutual respect and equality, and seek solutions through dialogue and consultation. We will closely monitor the progress of the U.S. investigation and reserve the right to take all necessary measures to firmly defend our legitimate rights and interests.