One of China's top footwear manufacturers has
condemned the European Union for imposing a one-size-fits-all anti-dumping
tariff on leather shoes made in the country.
Wu Shouzhong, vice-president of Aokang, one of China's leading footwear
makers, warned at the World Shoes Forum in Beijing that the EU measure did not
take into account the vast differences existing between the nation's shoemakers.
"There are over 20,000 footwear manufacturing firms in China, and 200
of them are of very good quality," said Wu.
The European Union should not treat all Chinese shoe manufacturers in a
uniform manner, it should appreciate the differences when introducing tariffs,
he said.
"Even the top 200 manufacturers are at different levels, but the European
Union imposed a tariff on all firms at one stroke," complained Wu.
Although some firms make cheap and poor quality shoes, a pair of Aokang shoes
is priced at 2,000 yuan (US$253), and that is not low even when compared with
some European-made shoes, he pointed out.
Wu accused the European Union of imposing its 16.5 per cent anti-dumping
tariff after conducting a very selective and incomplete investigation.
"The European Union should classify Chinese shoes manufacturers and treat
them separately based upon the actual situation," he suggested.
Chinese shoemakers are likely to appeal against the tariff, said Wu. "We have
hired lawyers in Europe and have already spent several millions of yuan on the
case," he said.
The leather industry associations in Zhejiang, Guangdong, and Fujian
provinces also recently issued a joint statement expressing their "fierce
dissatisfaction and protest" at the tariff decision.
The statement pointed out that the tariff had already resulted in Chinese
footwear manufacturers suffering a huge loss in exports, adding that the
associations "reserve the right" to take legal action against the European Union
at the World Trade Organization.
Xie Rongfang, a spokeswoman for the Wenzhou Leather Industry Association,
said that the associations are discussing whether to use EU courts, though they
have yet to agree on when the legal action will take place or what form it will
take.
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