China takes solar panel complaint to WTO

China lodged a WTO complaint Monday against what it called unfair solar power programs in Greece and Italy, Financial Times reported. The complaint said power generation programs in the two countries discriminated against foreign companies, and were in violation of international trade law. “China considers that the measures are inconsistent with the WTO rules on national treatment … and constitute import substitution subsidies that are banned by the WTO,” China’s commerce ministry said in a statement. The EU trade commission was studying the case, a spokesperson said. The case is the latest in a growing number of trade disputes between China and Western countries, the majority of which surround subsidies to green technology.