China hopes that WTO members can abide by WTO rules in trade remedy investigations and not use trade remedy measures as trade protection tools, the Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday.

China's trade remedy investigations were initiated in accordance with laws and regulations and responded to applications from relevant domestic industries, He Yadong, a spokesman for the ministry, said during a press conference.

He said, following the European Commission's earlier statement, that it hoped China's trade remedy investigation on EU products is based on facts and complies with WTO rules.

During the investigation process, Chinese investigative agencies strictly followed Chinese laws and regulations and the rules of the WTO, conducted investigations openly and transparently, fully protected the rights of all stakeholders, and made judgments objectively and impartially based on facts and evidence, He stressed.

Late last year, domestic industrial players filed an anti-dumping application with the Ministry of Commerce, accusing that the rapid increase in the quantity of related brandy products imported from Europe with declining prices have led to difficulties in the domestic industry's operation.

The Ministry of Commerce reviewed the materials and relevant evidences, and decided that the application met the conditions to initiate an investigation. To maintain normal market competition order and legitimate rights, domestic industries in China may file a trade remedy investigation application in accordance with the law, the ministry stressed.

zhuwenqian@chinadaily.com.cn