China: US trade policies threaten existence of WTO

China blasted U.S. trade proposals as an existential threat to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in a “reform proposal” published on Monday by the WTO on its website.

While the document does not specifically mention the United States, it lists policies uniquely associated with the Trump administration — such as the block on appointment of WTO appeals judges and “national security” tariffs on aluminum, steel and cars — as “severe challenges” to the “authority and efficacy of the multilateral trading system.”

{mosads}The reform proposal also referred to a “certain member” of the WTO that had unilaterally raised trade barriers and imposed import tariffs in an arbitrary way and without authorization from the body.

“The abuse of national security exception, unilateral measures inconsistent with the WTO rules, as well as misuse or abuse of existing trade remedy measures have severely damaged the rules-based, free and open international trade order,” China’s document said.

The reform proposal was posted in the midst of an escalating trade dispute between the U.S. and China.

On Friday, President Trump raised tariffs from 10 percent to 25 percent on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports after a breakdown of negotiations. 

On Monday, China announced it will raise tariffs on $60 billion of U.S. goods starting next month in retaliation.

Read ‘reform proposal’ by Anonymous 7cl3c7Ch on Scribd