China Presenta Queja en la OMC Contra EE.UU. Por Aranceles en Medio de Conflicto Comercial
China ha acusado a Estados Unidos de formular “acusaciones infundadas y falsas” sobre su participación en el comercio de fentanilo para justificar la imposición de aranceles a productos chinos. La queja fue presentada oficialmente ante la Organización Mundial del Comercio (OMC) un día después de que el ex presidente estadounidense Donald Trump anunciara un incremento del 10% en los aranceles sobre las importaciones chinas. Según Trump, estas medidas están destinadas a abordar el flujo de drogas ilegales hacia EE. UU., pero China sostiene que los aranceles son “discriminatorios y proteccionistas” y violan las normas de comercio internacional.
China has accused the United States of making “unfounded and false allegations” regarding its role in the fentanyl trade as a justification for imposing tariffs on Chinese goods. The complaint was officially lodged with the World Trade Organization (WTO) just one day after former U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 10% increase in tariffs on Chinese imports. According to Trump, these measures aim to address the flow of illegal drugs into the U.S., but China argues that the tariffs are “discriminatory and protectionist” and violate international trade regulations.
Despite China’s formal challenge, trade experts warn that Beijing is unlikely to secure a favorable ruling due to the WTO’s current inability to enforce dispute settlements. A former WTO official noted that China’s case has “no possibility of succeeding” given the current dysfunction of the organization’s appellate body.
The Trade War and Its Global Impact
The dispute between China and the U.S. comes amid Trump’s broader push to implement tariffs on all foreign imports, a policy that has created uncertainty in the global trade landscape. Trump has long argued that tariffs will encourage businesses to manufacture products domestically, citing concerns over America’s large trade deficit. However, his aggressive stance on China has raised alarms over potential economic consequences, both within the U.S. and internationally.
Los efectos de los aranceles ya se están percibiendo tanto en EE.UU. como en el extranjero. Por ejemplo, la fabricante canadiense de medias Sheertex anunció recientemente que despedirá temporalmente al 40% de sus 350 empleados, citando preocupaciones relacionadas con los aranceles. Otras empresas también están enfrentando dificultades para adaptarse al nuevo panorama económico, lo que ha generado temores de una inestabilidad económica más amplia.
The effects of the tariffs are already being felt in the U.S. and abroad. For example, Canadian hosiery manufacturer Sheertex recently announced it would temporarily lay off 40% of its 350 employees, citing tariff concerns. Other businesses are also struggling to adjust to the new economic landscape, prompting fears of broader economic instability.
La rápida decisión de China de presentar una queja ante la OMC destaca su disposición para un conflicto comercial prolongado con EE. UU. Según Bloomberg, los reguladores antimonopolio de China también están preparándose para investigar las políticas de Apple y las tarifas de su App Store, lo que ya ha afectado el valor de sus acciones. Además, Pekín ha respondido a los aumentos arancelarios de Trump imponiendo sus propios aranceles a productos estadounidenses y lanzando una investigación antimonopolio contra Google.
A pesar de que los procedimientos de la OMC permiten 60 días de consultas entre EE. UU. y China para resolver su disputa, los expertos consideran que la queja será ineficaz. El órgano de apelación de la OMC, encargado de resolver disputas comerciales, sigue siendo inoperante debido a la negativa de EE. UU. a aprobar el nombramiento de nuevos jueces. Esto implica que, incluso si China obtiene un fallo inicial a su favor, no existe un mecanismo para hacer cumplir una decisión final.
Although WTO procedures allow for 60 days of consultations between the U.S. and China to resolve their dispute, experts believe the complaint will ultimately be ineffective. The WTO’s appellate body, which is responsible for resolving trade disputes, remains nonfunctional due to the U.S.’s refusal to approve the appointment of new judges. This means that even if China receives an initial ruling in its favor, there is no mechanism to enforce a final decision.
A pesar de los aranceles, las importaciones en EE. UU. alcanzaron máximos históricos en diciembre, mientras las empresas se apresuraban para asegurar productos fabricados en el extranjero antes de que se aplicaran restricciones adicionales. El Departamento de Comercio informó que el valor total de los bienes importados aumentó un 4% desde noviembre, alcanzando $293.1 mil millones, el nivel más alto registrado desde 1992. Este aumento contribuyó al mayor déficit comercial en EE. UU. en casi dos años.
Despite the tariffs, imports into the U.S. reached record highs in December, as businesses rushed to secure foreign-made goods before additional restrictions could take effect. The Commerce Department reported that the total value of imported goods rose by 4% from November, reaching $293.1 billion—the highest level recorded since 1992. This surge contributed to the largest U.S. trade deficit in nearly two years.
China remains the country with the largest trade surplus with the U.S., having exported $25.3 billion more in goods to the U.S. than it imported. The European Union, another target of Trump’s tariff threats, ranked second in terms of trade surplus. In contrast, the U.S. enjoyed a small trade surplus of $2.3 billion with the United Kingdom.
Overall, the U.S. trade deficit, which includes both goods and services, increased by 17% last year, reaching $918.4 billion. In December alone, the trade deficit was $98.4 billion—the highest since March 2022.
The Future of U.S.-China Trade Relations
El experto en comercio Jeff Moon, quien trabajó en la política comercial con China durante la administración de Obama, afirmó que la OMC probablemente fallará a favor de China si el caso avanza. Sin embargo, debido a que el proceso de apelación está actualmente paralizado, “nunca se emitirá una decisión final”, lo que hace que la queja sea en gran medida simbólica.
Trade expert Jeff Moon, who worked on China trade policy during the Obama administration, stated that the WTO is likely to rule in China’s favor if the case proceeds. However, because the appellate process is currently paralyzed, “a final decision will never be issued,” rendering the complaint largely symbolic.
Despite the lack of immediate legal repercussions, China’s move serves a strategic purpose. By filing the WTO complaint, Beijing reinforces its claim that the U.S. is undermining the global trading system. This aligns with China’s broader diplomatic strategy, as it seeks to portray itself as a defender of multilateral trade rules while accusing the U.S. of unilateral economic aggression.