EU will not join US WTO suit against China

EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said that the European Union will not join the United States in its WTO action against China.

According to Xinhua, Mandelson, who spoke at a luncheon party hosted by Guan Chengyuan, Chinese ambassador to the EU, emphasized that his preferred dialogue over WTO cases.

However, he also acknowledged that he has come under pressure to join the US in the piracy suit it has brought against China.

Madelson's comments were echoed by Viviane Reding, EU Information Society and Media Commissioner, who said that while protecting intellectual property rights was a basic concern of the EU, legal action was not the first option.

At a press conference in Beijing, Reding said that the EU will follow the case as observers and would continue to try to find resolution through bilateral discussions and talks.

Reding said that she has received assurances from Chinese officials that they were taking steps to tackle the copyright issue.

Mandelson acknowledged that China has made efforts to improve copyright protection, but also urged the government to do more in law enforcement and implementation of bilateral agreements. Doing this would relieve the concerns of EU investors in the country.

China has said that the complaints lodged by the US could affect bilateral relations and hamper its cooperation on IPR matters, as they went against the consensus reached by the two countries on how to address trade issues.

For his part, Guan said that it solving problems through dialogue and consultation, which helps promote bilateral economic and trade relations, is China's consistent approach to solving problems.