Dumping probes impeding
ENS ECONOMIC BUREAU

NEW DELHI, FEB 13: The main factor that is impeding the bilateral trade between India and China is anti-dumping measures initiated by India, Chinese ambassador to India Zhou Gang said on here Tuesday.

Speaking at a seminar organised by Assocham on `Sino-Indian Relations: Enhancing Ties,' he said, "the sudden increase in anti-dumping probes by India on goods of Chinese origin, apart from absence of trade promotion and facilitation agencies and direct flights between the two countries, impede the bilateral trade."

He said there is no hurdle or impediment due to the border disputes between the two nations, adding the neighbours are working actively towards developing better relations. On the accession of China to the WTO, he said China's opening up to the outside world is entering a new phase, which indicated "shift of opening up from limited sphere and limited fields and from policy-driven opening up based on experiments, to foreseeable opening up within the legal framework."

Joint secretary, ministry of commerce, R Gopalan said lack of information about the prices in domestic markets in China is posing difficulties for India while, imposing anti-dumping duties on Chinese imports.

He said of a total of 86 cases in various stages, 40 per cent were against Chinese goods but the government is following a uniform and non-partisan anti-dumping policy, adding in the absence of price information, government has to resort to shadow pricing for imposing duties to protect the domestic industries.

Citing the example of dropping anti-dumping duty on Chinese toys, he said, "there were also instances where proceedings were dropped when sufficient information was made available."

He also said there is good potential for economic co-operation in the cotton and cotton yarn, soyameal, marine products, mineral ores, chemicals and fertilisers and construction materials with China.

He said efforts are being made by both the countries to start a direct flights between Beijing and New Delhi.

Copyright © 2001 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.