US Trade Official Accuses China Of Targeting Industries For Global Dominance

At a hearing on China’s compliance with its World Trade Organization commitments, a senior US trade official accused Beijing of pursuing dominance across entire industrial sectors while continuing to operate a non-market economic system.

USTR official flags challenge to trading system

Terry McCartin, Assistant US Trade Representative for China, Mongolia and Taiwan Affairs, said China’s anticompetitive behaviour posed a major challenge to the global trading system.

“More critically, after 25 years of WTO membership, China still embraces a non-market economic system,” McCartin said in his opening remarks at the hearing.

He said China’s approach had evolved, with Beijing now focused on targeting entire industrial sectors for global dominance.

The comments were made during a hearing reviewing China’s compliance with its WTO commitments.

The hearing placed China’s economic model and trade practices at the centre of US scrutiny, with the USTR official linking Beijing’s conduct to wider concerns about the global trading system.

Steelmakers seek tariff action

The criticism came as US steelmakers urged Washington to consider additional tariffs to counter China’s steel overcapacity.

They also called for the US to coordinate with other countries in responding to that overcapacity.

Industry groups outlined complaints about Beijing’s trade practices ahead of the Wednesday hearing.

The steelmakers’ appeal added an industry-level dimension to the official review, as complaints from US groups coincided with the USTR’s assessment of China’s WTO compliance.

McCartin’s remarks framed the dispute not only as a sector-specific concern, but as a broader challenge involving China’s continued use of a non-market economic system within the WTO framework.

Source: South China Morning Post