US-China spat again over trade at WTO review of US policies

A top US diplomat in Geneva has used a review of America's trade policy to criticize "forced" technology transfer and a "heavily skewed playing field" in China. Dennis Shea, the US ambassador to the WTO, said criticism of America's "unilateralist and protectionist" approach was mistaken and insisted the US wants to reform the global trading system to make it fairer.

At Monday's WTO review of the US, Shea lashed out at China's "state-led, mercantilist approach" to the economy and trade. Meanwhile, his Chinese counterpart upbraided the U.S. over tariffs and blocking appointments to the World Trade Organization's appeals body.

Chinese ambassador Zhang Xiangchen said Trump's tariff increases on steel and aluminium products were "based on dubious national security concerns" and blasted US efforts to put WTO's appeals body "in paralysis."