China accuses US of protectionism in tire case

Beijing appealed to the Obama administration to review the details of a case against Chinese imported tires, calling it a protectionist maneuver that violates WTO principles, AP reported. Chinese imports of 41 million tires per year have resulted in the loss of 5,100 American jobs, claimed the United Steelworkers’ Union, which portends the loss of 3,000 more jobs if Chinese imports are not limited to 21,000 tires per year. Deputy commerce minister Fu Ziying said that while Chinese tire imports to the US more than tripled between 2004 and 2008, American tire producers’ profits doubled during the same time period. Fu blamed the industry’s current woes on the global economic recession. Washington is also looking into whether or not Chinese goods such wooden bedroom furniture, honey, candles, gift boxes, industrial chemicals and fresh garlic were also flooding American markets.