China said today it was deeply concerned by a European Union decision to limit steel imports but announced the two sides would soon start consultations on the issue.
The curbs, meant to protect the EU against an influx of steel exports diverted from the US after Washington imposed stiff protectionist tariffs, will hit China in some product categories, according to the EU.
"The Chinese side believes the EU measures will severely affect China's steel exports to the EU and severely damage Chinese enterprises," the International Business Dailyin Beijing said.
Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Mr Shi Guangsheng expressed his concern Thursday in a letter to the European Trade Commissioner Mr Pascal Lamy, the official Xinhua news agency reported.
Mr Shi said the Chinese government will hold consultations with the EU in a bid to find a solution. The agency reported later that the EU had agreed to hold the consultations "as soon as possible."
In Brussels, a European Commission spokeswoman said the EU considered China a "developing country" for purposes of 12 of the 15 steel products covered by the EU measures.
The EU said previously the tariffs would not apply to imports from developing countries.
The EU safeguard measures, which will begin in April, consist of tariffs of between 14.9 and 26 per cent on 15 categories of steel products if imports into the EU exceed a specified level.
The new US steel import tariffs, imposed about three weeks ago, were set at between eight and 30 per cent.
AFP