Chinese premier urges EU to drop Surrogate Country approach on schedule

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Saturday called on the European Union to fulfill its obligation to drop the Surrogate Country approach used in their anti-dumping measures against Chinese exports.

China hopes the EU would act in accordance with Article 15 of the Protocol on the Accession of China to the World Trade Organization (WTO) , Li said while meeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the sidelines of the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit Saturday in Ulan Bator.

"China and the EU are each other's major trade partners. Article 15 is a matter of confidence for firms and the market in the rule of law, international rules and the China-EU trade relations," he said.

"It is hoped that the German side could help solve the issue in an active manner," Li said.

In accordance with Article 15 of the accession protocol signed when China joined the WTO in 2001, the Surrogate Country approach expires on December 11, 2016.

There are voices in Europe, however, that China has yet to meet the standard set by the EU for market economy status, and that the EU should continue with its use of a non-standard approach in anti-dumping investigations against China.

Merkel, for her part, said China is a trustworthy and reliable partner, and Germany is pleased to see the EU to cooperate with China in a more sensible and practical manner. Endi