GENEVA (May 24, 2011)—The Chinese government plans to appeal a World Trade Organization ruling from last December that supported the U.S. government's decision in 2009 to impose severe duties on imports of consumer tires from China.
China notified the WTO's Dispute Settlement Body May 24 of its decision to appeal the panel report in dispute case DS399, “US—Measures Affecting Imports of Certain Passenger Vehicle and Light Truck Tyres from China.”
Details of China's appeal are expected to be released in the coming days, the WTO said.
The WTO's ruling from Dec. 13 confirmed that the Obama administration did not violate international trade and tariff rules when it levied three years of steep tariffs against passenger and light truck tires imported from China.
At the time, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) hailed the WTO report, as did the United Steelworkers (USW) union, which petitioned the International Trade Commission (ITC) in April 2009 for relief from Chinese consumer tire imports.
The Obama administration instituted tariffs over a three-year period.