'America First': China 'Gravely Concerned' Over US Report on Trade Strategy

BEIJING (Sputnik) - The Chinese Ministry of Commerce on Friday issued a statement expressing "grave concerns" over the recently released US trade strategy, in which Washington refuses to recognize China as a country with a market economy.

"On February 28, the Office of the US Trade Representative released a 2018 trade strategy and the 2017 annual report. This report backs the 'America first' policy and does not take into account China's tremendous achievements in building a market economy and ignores the fact that China strictly adheres to its pledges on WTO accession, as well as the mutually beneficial nature of trade and economic relations between China and the United States. Against this backdrop, the Chinese side expresses grave concerns," the statement said.

READ MORE: China Lodges Complaint to US After Adoption of Taiwan Relations Bill

On Wednesday, the Office of the US Trade Representative published a report, in which it was stated that the United States does not recognize China as a state with a market economy and Beijing should not undermine the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO) without any consequence. Washington,in the report, also accused Beijing of unfair trade practices.

The statement is not the first instance that has raised tensions in trade relations between Beijing and Washington in recent weeks. On Tuesday, the US Department of Commerce said aluminum foil from China was being sold at an unfairly low price and announced the decision to levy anti-dumping duties on several Chinese aluminum exporters. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has also expressed its dissatisfaction with the US move.