(Yicai Global) Aug. 25 – China expressed regret that the US disregards finding solution to problems through consultation. These were remarks by Gao Feng, spokesman for China's ministry of commerce, about the US application to the World Trade Organization (WTO) for a panel to investigate China's import quotas for some agricultural products.

On Aug. 18, the US asked Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) of the WTO to establish a panel on its appeal against China over the management measures on import tariff quota for wheat, rice and maize, and China also received the request on the same day, Gao said in a press briefing yesterday.

Under the framework of dispute settlement mechanism of the WTO, the US made a consultation request to China over the issue in December 2016, and the two sides held a formal consultation in Geneva in February 2017, Gao reminded.

China and the US have maintained a smooth communication over agricultural quotas on multilateral and bilateral occasions. At the US request, China has also clarified and explained relevant policies about the case. China regrets that the US has now given up on continuing negotiations to resolve this case.