The United States filed a complaint against China before the World Trade Organization (WTO) with regard to anti-dumping duties on chicken products, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said Tuesday.

The U.S. is requesting dispute settlement consultations to challenge China’s imposition of anti-dumping and countervailing duties against imports of U.S. chicken broiler products, Kirk said.

This is the latest in a series of enforcement steps the U.S. has taken to hold China accountable for its WTO commitments.

In 2009, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce initiated anti-dumping and countervailing investigations into U.S. imports of chicken broiler products, various cuts of chicken. It imposed duties one year later.

The duties were based on China's findings that the poultry products had been sold for less than fair value in the Chinese market as well as subsidized. An investigation also showed that the U.S. subsidized soybeans and corn for its poultry industry, hurting Chinese producers, China Daily reported the ministry as saying.

"China believes its anti-dumping and countervailing measures on U.S. chicken products are legal and in line with World Trade Organization rules," China's Ministry of Commerce said Wednesday in a statement on its website.

China will carefully review the U.S. consultations and appropriately resolve the trade dispute according to the WTO’s dispute settlement procedures, the commerce ministry said.

China's business press carried the story above on Wednesday.

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