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The
article was the strongest official response yet to U.S.
President Donald Trump on Thursday launching an investigation of
China and other steel producers for dumping cheap steel products
into the United States.
"By proposing an unjustified investigation into steel imports in
the guise of safeguarding national security, the U.S. seems to
be resorting to unilateralism to solve bilateral and
multilateral problems," the China Daily said.
The probe could result in efforts by the United States to curb
imports that will affect the interests of a number of its major
trade partners, including China, it said.
"If the U.S. does take protectionist measures, then other
countries are likely to take justifiable retaliatory actions
against U.S. companies that have an advantage ... in fields such
as finance and high-tech, leading to a tit-for-tat trade war
that benefits no one," it said.
The article called on the United States, the world's top
economy, to use the settlement mechanism under the World Trade
Organization to resolve the dispute over steel.
Reducing imports will not alter the weak competitiveness of U.S.
steelmakers, help restore U.S. manufacturing or bring back jobs,
as President Trump hopes, it said.
It was a marked shift from official comments on Friday. China's
Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said in a briefing the
country needed to ascertain the direction of any U.S.
investigation before it could make a judgment.
(Reporting by Josephine Mason; Editing by Tom Hogue)
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