China refutes lack of transparency claim on subsidies policy

Chinese officials on Thursday repudiated claims that the government's report to the World Trade Organization (WTO) on subsidies lacked transparency.

A Ministry of Commerce (MOC) official said the government had met all China's WTO obligations on subsidies in line with its accession to the WTO. The government had been collecting information on subsidies policy.

However, a Ministry of Finance official said difficulties existed in obtaining accurate and complete information.

The European Union and the United States claim China's report on industry subsidies, which has been evaluated for the first time by the Committee on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures, lacks transparency.

The MOC said the charge would "dampen" the evaluation made by the committee.

MOC spokesman Chong Quan said that the committee also criticizes the United States and European Union for their delay in notifying their agriculture subsidies, pointing out that the data of both members was last updated in 2001.

Chong said China has made great efforts in subsidies policy notification.

The report which was submitted to the committee in April includes 78 government policies and measures. He said the inclusion of items did not mean the government had made any judgement on them, but it was done for transparency.

Source: Xinhua