an interesting twist:

BEIJING – Beijing filed a World Trade Organization complaint Monday over new U.S. tariffs on Chinese tires, stepping up pressure on Washington in the latest in a series of trade disputes.

The conflict is a potential irritant as Washington and Beijing prepare for a summit of the Group of 20 leading economies in Pittsburgh on Sept. 24-25 to discuss efforts to end the worst global downturn since the 1930s.

The Chinese complaint to the WTO in Geneva triggers a 60-day WTO process in which the two sides are to try to resolve the dispute through negotiations. If that fails, China can request a WTO panel to investigate and rule on the case.

"China believes that the above-mentioned measure by the U.S., which runs counter to relevant WTO rules, is a wrong practice abusing trade remedies," said a Chinese government statement quoted by the official Xinhua News Agency.

The WTO confirmed that China has filed a "request for consultations" on the issue.

Beijing's unusually prompt response to Friday's tariff decision shows the urgency China attaches to maintaining exports amid slumping global demand.

President Barack Obama approved the higher duties to slow the rapid growth of U.S. imports of Chinese-made tires blamed for the loss of thousands of American jobs. Beijing criticized the move as a violation of free trade and called on other governments to oppose protectionism.

The United States and China, the world's largest and third-largest economies, have been embroiled in disputes over access to each others' markets for goods including steel pipe, auto parts, poultry, movies and music.

The White House said Obama acted under a provision in the U.S.-Chinese agreement on Beijing's accession to the WTO that allows Washington to slow the rise of Chinese imports to give time to American industry to adjust.

Obama's order raised tariffs for three years on Chinese tires — by 35 percent in the first year, 30 percent in the second and 25 percent in the third.

The United Steelworkers brought the case in April and said more than 5,000 tire workers have lost jobs since 2004 as Chinese tires flooded the U.S. market.

On Sunday, Beijing announced it would investigate complaints that American auto and chicken products are being dumped in China or benefit from subsidies. The ministry said the U.S. imports have "dealt a blow to domestic industries."

Last month, Beijing was forced to change its tariffs on imported auto parts after losing an appeal of a WTO ruling in a case brought by the United States, the European Union and Canada. They challenged Beijing's policy of requiring automakers to use at last 40 percent Chinese-made components or pay more than double the usual tariff on imported parts.

___

Associated Press Writer Frank Jordans in Geneva contributed to this report.

Tell you what China, start by recognizing and respecting patents and then we'll talk...

Scott

From the posts I have read on this site, none of us buy Chinese made tires anyway if we can help it, so let them sit in a warehouse to rot and everybodys happy.

I bought two Goodyear Marathons last year and China-made tires were all that were available from Goodyear. Are they making Marathons somewhere else now? No problems as of yet with the chinese tires.

I bought two Goodyear Marathons last year and China-made tires were all that were available from Goodyear. Are they making Marathons somewhere else now? No problems as of yet with the chinese tires.

I just got four Goodyear Marathons and was first thing I checked on.. All four say Made In USA.

Better check the mfg. date on them, they've got to be OLD.

Unfortunately, we do not have much ground to stand on concerning issues with China.
They own us.

Thanks to unbridled spending by congress for the past 6 years, and especially this recent addition of a Nitrous Oxide system to our federal spending, China probably now owns most of our debt, ...and will forever....unless we print so much money it becomes worthless....for any of us.

Better check the mfg. date on them, they've got to be OLD.


DOT MDHB 4AOR 1809

That should be 18th week of 2009

If you go onto other sites that talk about trailer tires, they talk about Loadmaster, Denman, and several other brands. It seems that if the trailer Mnf's are seeing so many problems with these tires they would start making the move to some of these other brands. I was just on a site that raved about the Loadmaster's. Might be worth checking out!

I was just doing some more research on this and every tire I found has got some major complaints.....does anyone make a GOOD trailer tire??? or is the price point that we are all used too paying just to low for someone to make one. It seems to me that there is a definate NEED in the market, and most of us would be willing to spend a few extra dollars for the piece of mind it would buy us. We are willing to spend thousands on a boat, a few more dollars for tires that don't leave us stranded or worse on the side of the road is cheap insurance. Where are you, Cooper, Uniroyal, General, etc. etc.?

I have not read any compaints on the forums about failure of China tires. Most of the troubles with trailer tires are caused by overloaded trailers and under inflated tires! I read about trailers that have bent axels, broken frames, blown tires and this is caused by overloads and high speeds on rough roads. Don't blame the tires..... Besides, no one complains about all the china, reels, rain coats, boots, rods,lures, etc............ :deadhorse:

Jimmy....you are correct, we don't complain about those other products, much! But the trailer tire thread ahs been ongoing for several years now on and off. Maybe you just missed them.

I highly doubt the problem is only that the tires are made in China. Go look at your passanger vehicles tires. Many are made in China, more and more all the time.