China says Canada 'seriously damaging' interests in trade spat
Beijing this month slapped a 100 percent surcharge on rapeseed oil, oil cakes -- a type of animal feed -- and peas imported from Canada.
China said the move was a response to Ottawa's decision last year to place 100 percent tariffs on Chinese electric vehicle imports, matching US measures seeking to fend off a flood of Chinese state-subsidised cars into North America.
"China's taking of necessary countermeasures are completely reasonable and in accordance with the law," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said.
"We urge Canada to take concrete actions to correct its wrong practices and provide normal trade and cooperation for the two countries' enterprises," he added.
The World Trade Organization said Monday that Canada had launched a dispute against China over the additional duties.
"Canada has requested WTO dispute consultations with China concerning Chinese measures that impose additional import duties on certain agricultural and fishery products from Canada," the agency said.
After complaints are brought before the WTO, consultations are initiated between the members at odds with each other.
If no agreement is reached, the complainant can request the establishment of a special panel, made up of three to five experts.
Canada is among the world's top producers of canola, a rapeseed crop that is used to make cooking oil, animal feed and biodiesel fuel, and China has historically been one of its largest customers.
Aquatic products and pork, meanwhile, will face a 25 percent levy.
Canadian industry leaders have said they would be hit hard by the new tariffs.
The tariffs come as both Canada and China face increasing trade tensions with the United States after new tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump.
Ottawa also last year announced a surcharge on imports of steel and aluminium products from China.
Beijing's commerce ministry said a probe into these measures found that Canadian policies "disrupted the normal trade order and harmed the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises".
Relations between Beijing and Ottawa have been tense in recent years.
This month, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly told reporters in Ottawa that China had executed four Canadian citizens in recent weeks, defying pleas from Ottawa for leniency.
China insisted it had acted "in accordance with the law" in carrying out the executions.
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