A shipyard under the China State Shipbuilding Corp delivers a large container ship from its base in North China's Tianjin Municipality on September 27, 2023. Photo: VCG

The US' Section 301 investigation into China's maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding industries, alleging China using "unfair, non-market policies and practices" to dominate those sectors, is groundless, as the decline of US shipbuilding industry has no relation to China's laws, policies or practices, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) said on Sunday.

Based on market development needs, China's maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors have actively conducted technological innovations and participated in free market competition, making an important contribution to the development of global trade as well as the smooth and stable operation of global supply chains, a spokesperson with the CCPIT said in a statement appeared on the bureau's website.

Related US research reports also showed that the predicament of US maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors is mainly due to a lack of market competitiveness, the spokesperson said.

The remarks came as the US Trade Representative (USTR) announced on Wednesday that after reviewing a petition filed with the USTR by five labor unions, the US government department is initiating a probe targeting China's maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors.

Representing China's business community, the CCPIT and the China Chamber of International Commerce called on the US side to respect market rules and the principle of fair competition, immediately stop the wrong move, and return to multilateral trade system based on market rules and principles, a CCPIT spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, it called on business communities across the globe to join hands in advancing innovation and win-win cooperation, and jointly safeguard the stability of global industrial and supply chains.

"We will organize industry companies to make legal defense and attend the US' hearing with upstream and downstream companies so as to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies," said the spokesperson.

Global Times