Experts specializing in the rules of the World Trade Organization said China became the biggest victim of unfair international anti-dumping accusations at the end of the 20th century.

Up to the end of March 2001, a total of 29 countries and regions had launched anti-dumping investigations into more than 4,000 kinds Chinese export goods, the highest figure in the world.

The investigations involved at least 10 billion U.S. dollars-worth of Chinese-made goods, said the experts.

The problem is that at least half of Chinese companies involvedare reluctant to challenge the unfair anti-dumping accusations, said the experts.

They are unwilling to face the accusations, which they think istime-consuming and expensive. This mind-set has resulted in loss of their overseas markets due to heavy anti-dumping tariffs.

The experts warned that more anti-dumping investigation cases would be filed against Chinese goods and manufactures, since labor-intensive goods are usually very competitive due to low productioncosts and cheap raw materials in China.

China's entry into the WTO late last year means that the various tariff and non-tariff trade barriers against competitive Chinese goods will be removed or reduced significantly, in accordance with WTO rules, they pointed out.

But other countries and regions would rely more on anti-dumpingand anti-subsidy measures than ever before to protect their domestic sectors, the experts said.

They said one company who challenge the unfair anti-dumping accusations of its products is actually safeguarding the export market of the same products made by other Chinese companies.

( Xinhua News Agency January 26, 2002)