China regretful about US ruling on vehicle tires

China expresses "deep regret" about the affirmative determination made by the US International Trade Commission (ITC) on safeguard investigation involving certain passenger vehicles and light truck tires from China, a government spokesman said Friday.

ITC said Thursday it found certain passenger vehicles and light truck tires from China are being imported to the United States in such increased quantities or under such conditions as to cause or threaten to cause market disruption to the domestic producers of like or competitive products.

Yao Jian, the spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce said the ITC's decision is "not objective", and is "against the World Trade Organization (WTO) regulations." Lots of evidence have proved that the Chinese-made tires did not cause direct competition with the US products. Restriction of the Chinese imports can not fix the structural problem in the US, he said.

"We have noted the US tire makers did not claim such disruptions," said Yao. The US Tire Industry Association, which representing all segments of the tire industry, also opposed to limit Chinese tire imports, he added.

China hopes the US authority could consider the overall interests of the two sides and think twice before the final rule, he said.

As a result of the affirmative determination, ITC will consider the issue of remedy, and send its report to the US President and the US Trade Representative by July 9.