China moves to join Brazil’s WTO fight over Trump’s forced labour tariffs

China has formally requested to join World Trade Organization (WTO) consultations that Brazil initiated against US tariffs. These tariffs, which can reach up to 37.5 percent, are imposed on goods produced using forced labor.

Beijing's move, filed in Geneva, signals its significant interest in the dispute. China contends that it holds a substantial commercial interest in the case, asserting that the US measures could potentially be applied to Chinese goods. Such actions, China argues, would impact all its exports to the American market, barring specific exemptions.

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Washington could apply comparable measures to Chinese goods, and that such measures would affect all Chinese exports to the American market, subject to specific exemptions.

The grounds for China's involvement stem from its own export concerns rather than solely the treatment of Brazilian goods. This intervention is part of a broader challenge China has mounted at the WTO since 2018 against Section 301 of the US Trade Act of 1974. China argues this statute allows Washington to unilaterally determine violations and impose penalties without multilateral authorization.

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It argues the statute lets Washington determine violations and impose penalties without multilateral authorisation.