The Ministry of Commerce will give more help to Chinese enterprises in the process of acquiring the status of market economy either for the specific industries or in the anti-dumping cases they are involved in, said Gao Hucheng, Deputy Minister of Commerce in a national conference on fair trade of import and export in Chengdu recently.

Gao argued that China has scored remarkable achievements in its market economy and sustained fast growth of foreign trade for the 20 years' reform and opening-up endeavor. However, China became the biggest victim of trade bailout tempts. Since China's WTO membership, Chinese products has been facing increasing anti-dumping measures and various trade barriers, special safeguard provisions, non-market economy status, and special restrictions on textiles, to name just a few.

Gao's ministry will take the following steps to secure fair trade for imports and exports.

Firstly, make the rest of the world know more about China's progress on building a market economy. More supports will be given to enterprises which are trying to get the status of market economy for their industries and more instructions will also be extended to those involved in anti-dumping cases. Special attention will be paid to cases of special safeguard measures and prompt responses will be made.

Secondly, a response mechanism integrating Ministry of Commerce, local government agencies responsible for business affairs, intermediary organizations and enterprises will be improved.

Thirdly, on the basis of China's first monitoring and early warning system for trade remedy measures established recently, international cooperation and information exchanges will be built to have accurate data of imports and exports available.

Fourthly, development of key sectors will be put under very close watch. Objective analysis will be worked out on negative impacts on Chinese key industries hit hard by imports due to their poor competitiveness, such as steel, petro-chemical, auto, agriculture, etc. Imports remedies will be offered to these sectors within legal framework.

Fifthly, more training will be launched among enterprises to improve their awareness of protecting legal interests and rights through trade remedy measures and their ability of dealing with trade restrictions imposed by foreign trade partners. A quality fair trade team will be built through expertise and skill sharing nationwide.

Since China is not recognized as a market economy by most WTO members, it is a good choice for Chinese enterprises to get such a status for the industies they are in.

By People's Daily Online