Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun. Photo: Chinese Foreign Ministry

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Friday that the Biden administration's initiation of the Section 301 probes into China's maritime, logistics and shipbuilding industries is a serious violation of WTO rules and represents outright protectionism.

China strongly deplores and firmly opposes such actions, and has reiterated its position on the matter many times, Guo said at the press briefing, responding to the US Section 301 investigation reports released on Thursday targeting China's maritime, logistics and shipbuilding industries. 

Various US studies show that the US shipbuilding industry lost its competitive advantage many years ago due to over-protection, Guo added.

The growth of relevant industries in China is a result of companies' tech innovation and participation in market competition. It also benefits from China's fully-fledged industrial manufacturing system and vast domestic market. The Biden administration blaming its own problems on China lacks factual basis and economic common sense, Guo said.

China urged the US to respect facts and multilateral rules, immediately stop its wrongdoings and return to the rules-based multilateral trading system. China will closely follow the investigation and take all measures necessary to firmly defend our rights and interests, said the spokesperson.

Earlier on Friday, China's Ministry of Commerce expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to the Section 301 investigation report, vowing to take necessary measures to defend China's legitimate rights and interests.

The Section 301 investigation reflects clear unilateralism and protectionism, the US' previous imposition of 301 tariffs on Chinese goods was ruled by WTO as a violation of its rules and faced opposition from numerous WTO members, a MOFCOM spokesperson said.