China files lawsuit against Canada at the World Trade Organization over import restrictions on steel

China filed a lawsuit against Canada at the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Friday, challenging its import restrictions on steel and other products.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce expressed "strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition" to the restrictions, according to the state-run Global Times newspaper.

Last month, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Ottawa would impose a 25% duty on Chinese steel products.

The steel tariffs "constitute typical unilateral and protectionist measures that harm China's legitimate rights and interests and disrupt the stability of global steel and related supply chains," according to a ministry spokesperson.

Beijing urged Ottawa to "correct its erroneous practices, uphold the rules-based multilateral trading system, and promote the continuous improvement of China-Canada economic and trade relations."

On Tuesday, China launched an anti-dumping investigation into imported Canadian pea starch and rapeseed.

On the same day, Beijing implemented anti-dumping regulations on halogenated butyl rubber imports from Canada and Japan.