In the row over China’s classification as a market economy, the China-EU School of Law endeavours to shed further light on the legal background of the decision with a new research project. How has EU legislation classified China so far? In particular, what role did the Basic Anti-Dumping Regulation play? What is the interplay between EU regulations and World Trade Organization (WTO) law? How would China-EU trade relations change with a market economy status for China? These are the questions that Prof. Yenkong Hodu from the University of Manchester, Dr Han Tianzhu from Shandong University of Science and Technology and Dr Liang Wenqiong from the China Youth University of Political Studies Law School will examine in their new research project. The results of the study titled“China’s Past 2016 Market Economy Status and the Evolution of EU-China Trade Relations”are expected to be published in September 2017.

Although with some hesitations from some observers, market economy status was pledged to China until the end of 2016 when it joined the WTO in 2001. China would be spared expensive anti-dumping action, meaning being spared of complaints that it sells its products at too low a price on the European market. The EU Parliament voiced its opposition against the status in May as China would not yet fulfill the EU’s five criteria of a market economy.

By Prof. Yenkong Hodu