China, EU discuss trade frictions

BEIJING, Sept. 10 (UPI) -- China, facing a number of anti-dumping actions from the European Union, urged the EU trade commissioner to push for bilateral trade cooperation.

"China and the EU should appropriately handle trade frictions, and fight resolutely against trade protectionism," Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan said in his meeting with EU Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton Wednesday, China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, in his meeting Wednesday with visiting British Business Secretary Peter Mandelson, sought Britain's support in winning early EU recognition of China's market economy status, saying more than 70 other countries already have given their recognition.

China feels its treatment as a non-market economy is unfair as it invites more dumping actions against it, officials said. It says it was admitted as a member of the World Trade Organization in 2001 in recognition of its years-old market reforms.

Wang told Ashton China and the EU should make efforts to further coordination and cooperation, jointly weathering the global financial crisis and facilitating the recovery of regional and international economy, Xinhua said.

Although the EU is one of China's top trading partners with bilateral volume reaching more than $425 billion last year, the 27-nation group since July has launched anti-dumping actions against a number of Chinese products including steel wire rod, seamless steel tubes, sodium gluconate, steel cables and aluminum road wheels.

Ashton was quoted as saying the EU would like to adopt a pragmatic attitude in solving problems in bilateral trade and investment.