China mission to EU: wine probes are not retaliation

On Wednesday, China launched anti-dumping and anti-subsidy probes into imports of European wines. This follows provisional tariffs announced by the European Commission this week of an immediate 11.8 percent duty on China-made solar panels that rate could go as high as 47.6-percent by August if no compromise is reached between the two sides.

The Chinese Mission to the European Union however says China's recent probes into wine imports from the Europe are normal, as domestic wine makers filed a complaint of unfair subsidies from EU wine exporters last year. It says they should not be regarded as a retaliation, but rather in compliance with WTO rules and related regulations.

China also says the EU's abuse of trade remedy measures is inconsistent with its G20 commitment to fight protectionism, while it expects to work with the EU on finding a reasonable solution.