China presented a formal request to the World Trade Organization (WTO) to participate in the consultation opened by Brazil against the tariffs imposed by the United States. In the document, Beijing argues that the measure “affects all exports from China to the United States, except for specified exemptions” and that it harms “in particular, the conditions of competition for products originating in China sold in the United States market, as a result of the additional tariffs imposed”.
The WTO has not yet confirmed whether it will accept the request from the Chinese administration, led by President Xi Jinping, nor has it set dates for the first meetings of the process.
The case began on July 27, when Brazil approached the WTO to contest two tariffs announced by Donald Trump’s government. One of them establishes an additional rate of 25%, on the grounds that Brazil would adopt unfair commercial practices in relation to US companies; the other, 12.5%, was applied on the grounds of insufficient inspection of products manufactured with forced labor. Added together, they result in tariffs of 37.5% on more than 800 Brazilian products.
In its request to the WTO, the Brazilian government classified the tariffs as discriminatory and unilateral, and assesses that the measures violate commitments made by the United States itself within the organization. The Lula government also claims that the premises of “unfair commercial practices” presented by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to justify the measure are false.
Although it has not formally presented this argument to the entity, the Brazilian government has maintained, in statements by Chancellor Mauro Vieira and in official communiqués, that the US decision is politically motivated and that technical arguments presented during negotiations with US trade representatives were disregarded.
Consultation with the USA
On Monday (10), the United States accepted the Brazilian request for consultation. “We are available to meet with representatives of your mission on a mutually convenient date to carry out consultations”, says a document obtained by GloboNews.
Brazilian diplomats see the activation of the WTO more as a way of marking a position than as a concrete path to reversing tariffs, since a possible decision by the entity would hardly have the strength to do so — but they also relate the initiative to the tradition of Brazilian foreign policy in defense of multilateralism and conflict resolution through international institutions.
Source: www.brasildefato.com.br
