Published 18:06 IST, January 17th 2025
China Dismisses US Finding that China's Shipbuilding Dominance Detrimental to US Interests
China’s Foreign Ministry on Friday hit out at the Biden administration's initiation of the Section 301 probes into China's maritime, logistics and shipbuilding industries, saying it represented “outright protectionism.”

China’s Foreign Ministry on Friday hit out at the Biden administration's initiation of the Section 301 probes into China's maritime, logistics and shipbuilding industries, saying it represented “outright protectionism.”
In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said the probe violated the rules of the World Trade Organization and that China “strongly deplores and firmly opposes” it.
In a report released on Thursday, the US Trade Representative’s (USTR) office, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) said that China's dominance in the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors is "unreasonable" and "actionable" under U.S. trade law.
The investigation found that China's targeted dominance in these sectors burdens or restricts U.S. commerce by displacing foreign firms, reducing competition, and creating dependencies on Chinese-controlled infrastructure.
At the briefing, Guo also called on Kosovo and Serbia to work on a “lasting solution” to the Kosovo issue through “pragmatic and constructive dialogue.”
This came after Kosovo’s authority confirmed that they had closed all so-called parallel institutions used by the country's ethnic Serb minority and financially supported by neighboring Serbia.
The offices include the local Serb administration and postal and tax agencies in 10 municipalities where ethnic Serbs live in Kosovo.
“Unilateral actions do not help solve the problem and affect regional security and stability,” Guo said in response.
Separately, Guo reiterated China’s commitment to fighting telecom fraud, human trafficking, and other cross-border crimes when asked about a shared document circulation online containing information and help requests of thousands of Chinese nationals who claimed to be trapped in telecom fraud.
“China will continue to deepen international law enforcement cooperation and increase efforts to combat cross-border illegal activities such as telecom fraud, online gambling, and human trafficking,” Guo said, adding that Chinese diplomatic missions overseas would offer “necessary assistance” to their best.
Earlier this month, a Chinese actor was lured by a promise of a job casting by a major Thai entertainment company, but instead was taken across the border into Myanmar, where police believe he was put to work in a call scam operation targeting Chinese people.
The area is known as a haven for criminal syndicates who have forced hundreds of thousands of people in Southeast Asia into participating in online scams including false romantic ploys, bogus investment pitches and illegal gambling schemes. Many of the victims are trapped in virtual slavery. There also are allegations of drug trafficking.
Asked about a privacy complaint against several Chinese companies for alleged illegal transfer of European Union data to China, Guo said China “has never required, and will never require, companies or individuals to collect or provide data and intelligence of foreign countries to the Chinese government in violation of local laws.”
“Relevant parties should respect the principles of market economy and fair competition and provide a fair, transparent, and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies,” he added.
Vienna-based Noyb has filed six Chinese complaints, including TikTok, Shein and Xiaomi, in Greece, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, and Austria, aiming to halt data transfers to China and seeking fines that could be as high as 4% of a company's global revenue.
Updated 18:06 IST, January 17th 2025