China calls on U.S. to restore fair multilateral trade

China has urged the United States to rectify its mistakes and rejoin the multilateral trade system, calling for cooperation with other countries to address mutual concerns through fair and equal consultation, said the Ministry of Commerce on Thursday.

The ministry's comments follow U.S. President Donald Trump's recent announcement to impose a 25 percent import tax on all steel and aluminium shipments entering the country.

Speaking at a weekly news conference in Beijing, He Yongqian, the ministry's spokeswoman, said this is a typical example of unilateralist and protectionist behavior, and many countries have explicitly voiced their opposition. There is also significant domestic opposition within the U.S.

"In fact, as early as 2022, a World Trade Organization expert panel concluded that the U.S. section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 violated WTO rules," said He.

Section 232 tariff measure is a U.S. trade law that allows the U.S. president to impose tariffs or other trade restrictions on imports if they are deemed to threaten national security, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

However, instead of removing the existing Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminium, the U.S. further increased tariffs on aluminium products, severely harming the interests of other countries, seriously undermining the rules-based multilateral trade system, and disrupting global supply chains, she added.