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The European Union, Japan and the United States on Tuesday filed trade complaints with the WTO over China's rare earth export quotas, saying the restriction has limited other countries' access to those minerals.
The three trading powers claim that China's export restriction gives it a competitive advantage while hurting producers and consumers in other parts of the world.
The filings request dispute settlement consultations with China, the first step in handling a WTO complaint. The dispute could be transmitted to a WTO panel for a ruling should no agreement be reached in 60 days.
When confirming that it has received the request for dispute settlement, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said in a statement posted on its website that it will properly deal with the issue.
China, the statement said, has no intention of protecting domestic industries by distorting its foreign trade.
Earlier in the day, Chinese Minister of Industry and Information Technology Miao Wei told Xinhua that the Chinese side would prepare to defend itself if a complaint was filed with the WTO.
Miao said China's rare earth export policy is drawn up out of concern for the development of resources and environmental damage. Some rare earth metals would last only 20 years if China does not stop excessive mining, Miao added.
China's rare earth export restriction was not targeted at any specific country, nor was it a kind of trade protectionism, the minister said.
China responds to rare earth WTO complaint
China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said Tuesday that it will properly deal with a dispute settlement request on rare earth made by three major economies in accordance with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules.
China to defend rare earth dispute
China is preparing to defend itself should the United States and other countries take their complaint about China's rare earth export restrictions to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Minister of Industry and Information Technology Miao Wei said Tuesday.
US prefers dialogue with China over disputes
The United States prefers dialogue with China to settle trade disputes, US President Barack Obama said on Tuesday, right after his administration filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO) over China's rare earth export quotas.
West's rare earth accusations against China 'unfair'
Rash as it is, the United States' latest decision to enlist World Trade Organization (WTO) support against China's rare earth policy is based upon unfair accusations.
US raising rare earth case against China may backfire
The US decision to bring a lawsuit against China over its rare earth export quotas is likely to hurt bilateral trade ties and trigger a backlash from China instead of settling the rift.
No more cheap rare earths from China: Lawmaker
The era of cheap rare earth supplies from China is doomed to end as the country tightens control over the precious resources out of environmental concerns, Chinese lawmakers said on the sidelines of the parliamentary session.
Consolidation to create rare-earth 'giants'
China will establish two or three large rare-earth enterprises by consolidating companies in the sector, said a top industry official on Sunday.
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