The revised version of Rules for Investigations of Foreign Trade Barriers is scheduled to put into effect on January 1, 2005. An official from the Ministry of Commerce said the adoption of the new rules suggested a more positive trade policy which used to be very passive.

Trade barriers investigation is generally employed to protect the interests of a country's trade which prevent trade partners from putting stumbling stones on imports. China launched provisional rules for trade barriers investigation at the end of 2002.

The new version extends the definition of trade barriers. It defines the trade barriers more specifically on the basis of drawing on other country's experience. It has also adjusted the application for trade barriers investigation.

The revision has improved the compliance of the regime with multinational rules including WTO. It offers more effective protection to petitioners.

The official said trade barriers investigation was a positively defensive tool for trade policy. The process of overhauling the rules helps to improve the country��s system of trade barriers investigation. Information on foreign trade barriers will be collected which enables China to take counter measures. In this way, China will no longer be a sitting duck when trade barriers are set.

China launched the first and only investigation into trade barriers on imports of laver from Japan from April to October this year.

Experts believe the new rules would sparkle more cases and China��s trade policy will be more positively defensive.

By People's Daily Online