China claims the US duties are inconsistent with the WTO's General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 in that they apply solely to products of Chinese origin and exceed the United States' bound duty rates.

Further information is available in document WT/DS587/1

What is a request for consultations?

The request for consultations formally initiates a dispute in the WTO. Consultations give the parties an opportunity to discuss the matter and to find a satisfactory solution without proceeding further with litigation. After 60 days, if consultations have failed to resolve the dispute, the complainant may request adjudication by a panel.

• More on consultations
• Current status of disputes