A sign of the WTO on its headquarters in Geneva Photo: VCG

China has filed a lawsuit against the US with the WTO after the US issued an executive order on Thursday (US time), announcing a further increase in the so-called "reciprocal tariffs" imposed on Chinese products exported to the US, a spokesperson from China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said Friday.

The spokesperson said that the US taxation measures are typical unilateral bullying and coercion practices, which seriously violate WTO rules and seriously undermine the rules-based multilateral trading system and international economic and trade order.

China will firmly defend its legitimate rights and interests and firmly safeguard the multilateral trading system and international economic and trade order. We urge the US to immediately correct its wrong practices and cancel all unilateral tariff measures against China, the spokesperson said.

Global Times