USA denies China's request for WTO tariff consultations in Brazil

Sthe countries involved in the consultations, such as Brazil and the USA, need to authorize the participation of a third member in this case, China.

The US position is contained in a communication sent by the United States delegation to China on 21 September and subsequently distributed to the WTO Controversy Settlement Body.

In the document, the United States reported receiving a letter from China dated August 6, in which Beijing requested to participate in the consultations requested by Brazil.

According to the US, the request for consultations submitted by Brazil “does not concern any acts, policies or practices of China” or “any tariffs imposed on products originating in China”.

Therefore, the USA claimed that it did not consider the Chinese claim that there was a substantial commercial interest in the consultations to be substantiated.

“ The United States is therefore rejecting your request to participate in these consultations”, reads the communication sent to the Chinese delegation.

In August, Beijing justified the request because it has a “substantial commercial interest” in consultations between the two countries.

Brasília launched the WTO in July against two tariffs applied by Donald Trump's administration, one of 25% because Washington believes that Brazil adopts unfair practices in relation to US companies.

The U.S. also applied tariffs of 12.5% to Brazil, as well as dozens of other countries that supposedly failed to monitor imports of products produced from forced labor.

China also highlighted in its request in August that these measures affect its exports to the US market, with the exception of certain products, and change the conditions of competition of Chinese products due to the additional tariffs imposed.