China says will defend interests against U.S. trade probe

China says it will use all necessary means to defend the interest of the country and its companies against a U.S. trade investigation.

China’s Ministry of Commerce expressed strong dissatisfaction with the U.S. launch of the probe into China’s alleged theft of U.S. intellectual property.

This is the first direct measure against Chinese trade practices by Trump administration.

The U.S. Trade Representative said as early as December that China which is the world’s biggest grains market, did not maximize its use of TRQs even though global prices of the three commodities were lower than its domestic prices.