China has urged the United States to swiftly abandon its decision to launch a Section 232 investigation into Chinese copper imports under the guise of national security, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said on Thursday.

The US probe comes despite a World Trade Organization (WTO) expert panel ruling in 2022 that the US' previous Section 232 tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum products were in violation of global trade rules, said He Yadong, a spokesperson for the ministry, at a press conference.

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However, the US has not only reinstated the tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum products but is now forging ahead with a new Section 232 investigation into Chinese copper imports, further undermining the rules-based multilateral trading system and disrupting the stability of global supply chains, He said.

China is actually a net importer of refined copper, with only a small volume of copper product exports. The claims that China is using subsidies and overcapacity to distort competition simply do not hold up to scrutiny, He said.

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Beijing has urged the US to swiftly abandon this latest investigation, warning that if the US ultimately imposes restrictive measures such as additional tariffs, China will take necessary countermeasures to defend its legitimate rights and interests, he added.