The Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said on Monday that it was strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposed to a recent U.S. final ruling on the anti-dumping and anti-subsidy probe into light-walled rectangular pipe imported from China.

The U.S. Department of Commerce ruled on June 13 that Chinese companies that produce such pipes receive government countervailing subsidies ranging from 2.17 to 264.64 percent.

An MOC spokesman said the U.S. ruling runs counter to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures and has greatly hurt the interests of Chinese industry and is not acceptable.

China will continue to use legal means and WTO dispute settlement mechanisms to protect the legitimate rights and interests of domestic companies, the spokesman added.

(Xinhua News Agency July 1, 2008)