China Fires Warning Shot as WTO Hope Threatened

(Beijing) — China on Friday vowed to take countermeasures if World Trade Organization (WTO) members continue to classify Chinese imports through a protocol that it says gives trading partners an edge in dumping disputes and can result in high tariffs imposed on Chinese goods.

The Chinese government had expected its status as a WTO "surrogate member" — technically barring it from the "market economy" status enjoyed by many trading partners — to end Dec. 11 on the 15th anniversary of China's accession to the global trade group.