Southwest China's Sichuan province is to build an early warning system to protect home-grown enterprises from anti-dumping accusations, sources from the provincial commercial department said.

In the meantime, the province is to establish a WTO expert panel to study the international trade situation, provide consultation and give warnings to domestic companies.

"By following the international economy closely, experts will issue precautions to exporters in Sichuan who might be affected by possible anti-dumping charges and thus enable them to get better prepared," said Xie Kaihua, head of the provincial commercial department.

The year 2005 is the fourth year since China joined the WTO. Experts call it a post-transitional period as China is to fulfill its WTO commitments after the five-year transitional period is over.

The southwestern province has also witnessed the most anti-dumping accusations against Sichuan-based companies this year.

Statistics show that Sichuan companies have fallen victim to eight anti-dumping cases in the first 10 months this year. In addition, the province's textile exports are also being greatly affected by the textile disputes between China and the EU and the United States.

Some of major exporters in the province, such as TV maker Changhong Electric Co, Ltd. and alcohol producer Wuliangye Group Co, Ltd. are all victims of such accusations.

"The system will issue warnings promptly, helping our companies deal with anti-dumping during the post-transitional period," said Xie.

Anti-dumping, anti-subsidies and special safeguard measures are the legal protection measures taken by members of the WTO when their national industries are influenced by imports.

According to a report by the Ministry of Commerce, China has become one of the major victims of trade protectionism in the past nine months, suffering from a wide range of trade barriers including anti-dumping, anti-subsidies and special safeguard measures.

(Xinhua News Agency December 20, 2005)