China hit back at its critics over allegations that it is dumping steel products on world markets, threatening the European steel industry and causing job losses.

Tata Steel said last month it would sell most of its steel plants in the United Kingdom, putting thousands of jobs at risk. British trade unions and their counterparts in Belgium and France have claimed that the jobs are at risk due to Chinese overproduction, leading to steel products being dumped on world markets, undercutting Western European producers.

Chinese officials met representatives of more than 30 countries in Brussels this week to discuss the issue.