China is concerned about the tougher stance by the European Commission (EU) toward cheap steel imports from China, an official with the Ministry of Commerce said on Monday.
The EU called on member states last Wednesday to help in a crackdown on unfairly cheap steel imports from countries such as China and Russia by accelerating and streamlining measures against producers suspected of dumping products onto the European market.
The commission said it may speed up procedures by two months, bringing the EU's response time more in line with other countries.
Such policies will hinder exporters in exercising their rights of defense, said an unnamed official, who is in charge of the Trade Remedy and Investigation Bureau of the MOC.
Overcapacity is a worldwide industrial problem that needs to be addressed through dialogue and cooperation, and trade protectionism will do little to solve the problem, said the official.
China has always been an advocate of anti-trade protectionism and expects the EU to abide by international commitments to avoid sending the wrong signal to the international community, the official said.
