China has announced anti-dumping investigations into Canadian canola and chemical products after Ottawa imposed tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs), steel and aluminum.
China’s Ministry of Commerce said on Tuesday that “unfair competition by the Canadian side” had hurt domestic canola producers.
The ministry said it would also initiate inspections of Canadian chemical products based on “applications by domestic industries.”
“China … will take all necessary measures to protect the legitimate rights and interests of its enterprises,” the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry added that it was “very dissatisfied and strongly opposed” to the Canadian tariffs and would take up the issue with the World Trade Organization.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the announcement last month 100 percent tariff on Chinese EVs and 25 percent tariff on Chinese steel and aluminumwhile accusing Beijing of “not playing by the same rules” of international trade as other countries.
Trudeau said the tariffs are being introduced “in alignment and in parallel with other economies around the world.”
Ottawa’s move followed similar moves by the United States and the European Union, which have imposed 100 percent and 36 percent tariffs on Chinese EVs, respectively.
Western governments have accused China of using subsidies to make cheap cars to flood foreign markets, hurting domestic brands.
Beijing has rejected accusations of industrial “overcapacity” as a pretext for undermining globalization and free trade.
Relations between China and Canada have been strained in recent years amid disputes touching on issues ranging from trade to alleged espionage and election interference.
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