The World Trade Organization has created a dispute panel to investigate U.S. complaints regarding import quotas by China.
The panel came at the request of the U.S. regarding quotas on wheat, rice, and corn. The panel on tariff rate quotas for agricultural products was automatically established as it was the second request by the United States at the WTO Dispute Settlement Body, after China blocked the first attempt in August, according to Reuters.
The challenge was initiated by the Obama administration in December of last year and was continued by the Trump administration which says the quotas hurt U.S. farm exports. China calls the quotas “legitimate measures with regard to vital agricultural staples.” However, the U.S. says China pledged to remove the restrictions when it joined the WTO.
Some 14 countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, and Thailand, as well as the European Union, have joined the dispute.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting News Service.