The United States has notified the World Trade Organisation (WTO) of seven Chinese companies that it says should have been flagged as state trading enterprises under WTO rules, according to a WTO filing dated November 29 and published on Wednesday.
The United States has long complained that Beijing is keeping the world in the dark about potentially unfair trading by state-backed firms, which it suspects can get a leg-up over their competitors because of their government connections, according to the South China Morning Post. In 2014, Washington lost patience and submitted a “counter notification” on China’s behalf, listing 153 Chinese enterprises that it thought Beijing should declare to the WTO. The latest list is a second instalment, including the energy and chemicals firms China National Offshore Oil Corporation, Sinochem Group and China International Petroleum and Chemicals Co Ltd. US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer wants to toughen up on transparency at the WTO.