"China will have to adopt corresponding measures if Japan continues to maintain this trade protection tactic, and Japan should bear all the responsibility arising therefrom," she added.

Gao said that the Japanese government, regardless of China's strong opposition, started Monday to employ the trade protection tactic of imposing emergency tariffs on three types of vegetables imported from China, including green Chinese onions, fresh mushrooms and rushes.

Japan's trade protection tactic, which hampers fair competition, will seriously harm Sino-Japanese trade relations, she said.

Gao said that the Japanese government advocates dealing with the three agricultural products in line with the rules of the World Trade Organization, but all the facts show that Japan has adopted double standards in the decision-making process.

The Japanese side only observes WTO rules favorable to itself, but evades the obligations of the rules which are unfavorable. Japan also takes unilateral measures and actions, and even those are discriminatory, Gao said.

Japan's acts are serious violations of the principle of objectivity, justice, and fairness," Gao said, adding that Japan's decision seriously violates the rules of the WTO, and China will not accept it.

The tactic has also caused a heavy loss to the Chinese side, as well doing great harm to the interests of Japan's importers, consumers and investors in China," Gao added.

(Xinhua 04/24/2001)