The Ministry of Commerce announced on July 8 that it would soon start formal talks with the United States on 22 countervailing measures against Chinese exports.

A consultation request was filed by China to the Dispute Settlement Body of the WTO on May 25. It is the first stage of a formal dispute settlement.

According to WTO rules, China can apply to set up a WTO panel to hear and rule on the case, if the two countries fail to produce satisfactory results in 60 days following the request.

The consultation will run from July 18 to 19, and 22 product categories, including steel, solar cells and paper, worth $7.29 billion collectively, are involved, according to the ministry.

Li Chenggang, head of the ministry's Department of Treaty and Law, said the case reflects persistent wrongdoing by the United States in violating WTO rules.

Under the WTO mechanism, the United States has received 116 complaints from nations including Japan, South Korea and India, 60 of which are on its trade remedy measures, he noted.

Regarding a U.S. complaint on China's anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties on cars imported from the United States, Li said it's normal for trade partners to solve disputes through multilateral rules.

But he argued that, no matter how the case ends, the United States will not be able to achieve its multiple ambitions placed on the case, which include seeking to strengthen trade enforcement and boost auto sector jobs.