China has moved to block Canada’s request to set up a World Trade Organization (WTO) panel to probe restrictions placed on imports of Canadian canola seeds by Beijing, reported the South China Morning Post.
The country stopped imports of the seeds from Viterra and Richardson International in March 2019, at the same time it subjected shipments from other Canadian firms to increased inspections, saying that the shipments contained pests.
Canada is looking to escalate its complaint to the WTO after discussions in October 2019 “failed to settle the dispute”. But at Monday’s meeting of the Dispute Settlement Body at the WTO, China said that it was a “premature” move to establish a panel and that it was willing to “continue engagement”, according to a trade official.