A World Trade Organization’s arbitrator ruled Friday that China could impose $3.6 billion worth of tariffs on US goods over its unfair anti-dumping practices.
"We determine that the level of nullification or impairment of benefits accruing to China as a result of the WTO-inconsistent methodologies used by the United States in anti-dumping proceedings concerning products imported from China is 3,579.128 million USD per annum," the ruling read.
The latest announcement by the WTO focuses on a case dating back long before the current trade dispute. It has to do with a complaint filed by China almost six years ago when it sought more than $7 billion in retaliation. Under this ruling, China can introduce higher tariffs against the US than is currently allowed in accordance with WTO rules. Beijing will also be able to choose which US products and sectors to target.
US-EU Dispute Over Airbus Subsidies
This comes after the US won last month the largest arbitration award in WTO history in its dispute with the EU over illegal subsidies to Airbus. The award lets the US impose tariffs on $7.5 billion worth of EU goods, including Italian cheese and Scottish whiskey.
According to US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, "Europe has been providing massive subsidies to Airbus" for years, causing damage to the US aerospace industry.
US-China Trade War
Trade relations between the US and China worsened after Trump imposed tariffs on China in January of 2018 to address what he described as "unfair trade practices", including the growing trade deficit and intellectual property theft. Since then the two countries have exchanged tariff measures several times, with China saying that it would be able to withstand a trade war with the US.
Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump said that the site of the signing of the 'phase one' trade deal with China would be announced 'soon'. He said this after the APEC meeting in Chile, where the US and China were expected to sign the first part of the trade deal, was cancelled due to anti-government protests.
According to Trump, the agreement's 'phase one' would address the issues of intellectual property and financial services, as well as include China's promise to buy up to $50 billion in US agricultural products.