On October 23, the largest private shoemaker of China, Aokang Group, became the first to officially declare it would sue the EU.
However complicated the procedures would be and however arduous the work would be, we believe that law is just and Chinese shoe makers should step forward and
argue strongly for our rights on just ground s,’ said Wang Zhentao, Chairman of Aokang.
According to him, the only way out of the quagmire is for Aokang and other shoemakers to directly defend themselves with litigation. What concerns Chinese business people are that the EU’s sanction on shoes seems just the beginning.
“In Brussels, it is said there will be series of anti-dumping cases against China,” James H. Searles, an attorney for the China Alliance, told Caijing magazine.” Funiture is on schedule and it may happen by the end of this ye a r. Germ a ny and Italy who have strong furniture industries support investigations on Chinese companies,” he said Searles holds that the EU°Os new decision will be watershed one for its trade policy toward China and in the future there will be more sanctions against China in other industries. The EU, after all, is concerned about its
ballooning trade deficit with China and is acting more aggressively to counter it.
“Many industries in Wenzhou have felt threats from the EU and are actively taking various measures,”said Xie Rongang, Secretary General of Wenzhou Shoes and Leather Industry Association.