GENEVA: The United States won a World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling on Thursday against China’s use of tariff-rate quotas for rice, wheat and corn, which it successfully argued limited market access for US grain exports.
The case, lodged by the Obama administration in late 2016, marked the second US victory in as many months. It came amid US-China trade talks and on the heels of Washington clinching a WTO ruling on China’s price support for grains in March.
A WTO dispute panel ruled on Thursday that under the terms of its 2001 WTO accession, China’s administration of the tariff rate quotas (TRQs) as a whole violated its obligation to administer them on a “transparent, predictable and fair basis.”
TRQs are two-level tariffs, with a limited volume of imports allowed at the lower ‘in-quota’ tariff and subsequent imports charged an “out-of-quota” tariff, which is usually much higher.
The administration of state trading enterprises and non-state enterprises’ portions of TRQs are inconsistent with WTO rules, the panel said.
Australia, Brazil, India, and the European Union were among those reserving their rights in the dispute brought by the world’s largest grain exporter.
In a statement, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue welcomed the decision, saying China’s system “ultimately inhibits TRQs from filling, denying US farmers access to China’s market for grain.”
If China’s TRQs had been fully used, $3.5 billion worth of corn, wheat and rice would have been imported in 2015 alone, it said, citing US Department of Agriculture estimates.
The two WTO rulings would help American farmers “compete on a more level playing field,” the USTR statement said, adding: “The (Trump) Administration will continue to press China to promptly come into compliance with its WTO obligations.”
The latest WTO panel said that the United States had not proven all of its case, failing to show that China had violated its public notice obligation under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in respect to TRQs.
China’s Ministry of Commerce said in a statement on Friday it “regrets” the panel’s decision and that it would “earnestly evaluate” the panel’s report.
China would “handle the matter appropriately in accordance with WTO dispute resolution procedures, actively safeguard the stability of the multilateral trading system and continue to administer the relevant agricultural import tariff quotas in compliance with WTO rules,” it said.
Either side can appeal the ruling within 60 days.
US wins WTO ruling against China grain import quotas
US wins WTO ruling against China grain import quotas
Saudi Arabia opens 3rd round of Exploration Empowerment Program
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, in collaboration with the Ministry of Investment, has opened applications for the third round of the Exploration Empowerment Program, part of ongoing efforts to accelerate mineral exploration in the Kingdom, reduce early-stage investment risks, and attract high-quality investment from local and international mining companies.
The third round of the Exploration Empowerment Program offers a comprehensive support package targeting exploration companies and mineral prospecting license holders.
The initiative aims to lower investment risks for projects and support a faster transition from prospecting to development.
"The program provides coverage of up to 70 percent of the total salaries of Saudi technical staff, such as geologists, during the first two years, increasing to 100 percent thereafter, in line with program requirements.
This support aims to develop talent, build national capabilities in mineral exploration, promote job localization, and facilitate the transfer of geological knowledge.
The application for the third round opened on Jan. 14, allowing participants to benefit from the Kingdom’s attractive investment environment, its stable legal framework, and streamlined regulatory structures, as well as integrated infrastructure that supports the transition from mineral resources to operational mines.
The ministry has set the timeline for the third round, with the application period running from Jan. 14 to March 31.
This will be followed by the evaluation, approval, and signing of agreements from April 1 to May 31, with the eligible projects set to be announced between June 1 and July 31 of the same year.
The program stages include submitting exploration data during the reimbursement and payment phase from Sept. 1 to Nov. 30, followed by technical and financial verification of work programs and approval of the disbursement of support funds in January 2027.
The exploration data will then be published on the National Geological Database in April 2027.
The ministry emphasized that the EEP focuses on supporting the exploration of strategically important minerals with national priority. It also contributes to enhancing geological knowledge by providing up-to-date data that meets international standards, helping investors make informed decisions and supporting the growth of national companies and local supply chains.
The ministry urged companies to apply early to benefit from the program’s third round, which coincided with the fifth edition of the International Mining Conference, which was held from Jan. 13 to 15.
