The People’s Republic of China has requested consultations with the United States of America under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Dispute Settlement Mechanism regarding the USA’s tariff measures on certain Chinese goods which will allegedly be implemented through Section 301-310 of the US Trade Act of 1974. The request was circulated to WTO members on 05 April.
China claims the tariffs will be in excess of the USA's bound rates and are inconsistent with articles of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT).
What is a request for WTO consultations? The request for consultations formally initiates a dispute in the WTO. Consultations give the parties an opportunity to discuss the matter and to find a satisfactory solution without proceeding further with litigation. After 60 days, if consultations have failed to resolve the dispute, the complainant may request adjudication by a panel.
