China to see 'more trade disputes' this year

BEIJING - China will face rising trade protectionism this year as a result of an increase in its exports as well as high unemployment rates in the United States and the European Union, the Chinese ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO) said.

But China is committed to pushing forward the stalled Doha round of WTO talks, although it seems "highly unlikely" that the global trade negotiations can be completed this year, said Sun Zhenyu, who is also a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the country's top political advisory body.

Last year, various economies launched a total of 118 trade cases against China, affecting Chinese exports worth more than $13 billion. The US was among the most aggressive, launching 23 cases involving $7.6 billion worth of Chinese exports.