China expresses concerns over India's trade probes

BEIJING, Feb. 9 (Chinese media) -- China's Ministry of

Commerce (MOC) Monday expressed "serious concerns" over India's intensive trade

probes in hopes to avoid substantial impacts on bilateral trade.

The statement came after MOC deputy minister Zhong

Shan's meeting with Indian ambassador to China Nirupama Rao on the issue.

China hoped that India could show prudence and

restraint in using trade remedies in the face of the global economic situation,

as it could pose a threat to bilateral trade, MOC said in its Web site.

India has launched 17 trade investigations on

Chinese-made products since October last year, involving products worth 1.5

billion U.S. dollars. These included sodium nitrite, sodium carbonate and tyre.

On Jan. 23 this year, India announced a six-month ban

on all imports of Chinese-made toys.

Toy imports from China each year accounted for more

than 50 percent of the retail market in India, with an estimated value at more

than 500 million U.S. dollars in 2007, according to the All India Toy

Manufacturers Association.

According to MOC spokesman Yao Jian, during the

bilateral consultation, Zhong expressed China's concern over the issue and said

China hoped to ease trade frictions through discussions at the both governmental

and industry levels.

Trade between China and India, the 10th largest trade

partner of China, was up 34 percent at 51.78 billion U.S. dollars last

year.