U.S. files complaints at WTO against EU, China, Canada, Mexico, Turkey

The Trump administration has stepped up its global trade dispute by filing complaints against five nations and trading blocs at the World Trade Organization.<br /> U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said in a statement on Monday that the U.S. was challenging retaliatory tariffs launched by the EU, China, Canada, Mexico and Turkey.<br />The five imposed those tariffs in response to Washington's duties on steel and aluminum imports. <br />Lighthizer defended America's taxing of those products, saying the move was in line with WTO rules and on the grounds of national security. <br />But he said it was not okay for other countries to retaliate because their tariffs were designed to punish American workers, farmers and companies.<br /> China, however, is not backing down and has filed its own complaint at the WTO against the U.S. <br />Beijing is challenging last week's decision by Washington to impose new tariffs on 200 billion dollars-worth of Chinese goods. <br />