China's largest privately-owned shoemaking corporation Aokang Group announced on Monday it has engaged a lawyer to file a lawsuit against the European Union's anti-dumping tariffs.

Aokang Group is the first Chinese shoemaker to begin proceedings since the EU imposed two-year duties of 16.5 percent on China-made leather shoes on Oct. 7.

Aokang President Wang Zhentao told Xinhua on Monday that they have engaged Pu Lingchen, reputedly China's top anti-dumping lawyer, to bring the lawsuit in the EU Court of First Instance on the grounds that the European Council's anti-dumping tariffs against Chinese shoes violate EU laws.

Despite the protests of Chinese enterprises during the anti-dumping investigation, the EU still decided to impose heavy duties on China-made shoes.

Ministry of Commerce News Spokesman Chong Quan said the EU's anti-dumping measures against Chinese leather shoes lacked "sufficient legal and factual evidence."

The official said the heavy duties infringed the legal rights of China's shoemakers, adding that China reserved the right to take retaliatory measures.

Chinese shoemakers consider the EU's anti-dumping decision totally unacceptable. Many thought about bringing a lawsuit in the European courts.

According to EU law, affected companies can appeal anti-dumping measures, but proceedings are lengthy, said lawyer Pu Lingchen.

Pu, who has handled more than 40 anti-dumping cases since 1992, is well-known for his excellent performance in the 2003 lawsuit which overturned the EU's anti-dumping charges against China-made lighters.

"China is an important member of the World Trade Organization and its firms have to use legal procedures to protect their interests and the industry's interests," said Wang Zhentao.

"No matter how complicated the legal procedures are and how tough our task is, we believe in justice," Wang said.

Based in Wenzhou, in east China's Zhejiang Province, Wang's Aokang Group produced 13 million pairs of leather shoes last year and exported three million pairs.

Source: Xinhua