CHINA'S Ministry of Commerce yesterday expressed "serious concern" about the United States' proposed strengthening of its trade remedy practices.

It said the move will undermine order in international trade.

US attempts to increase exports should rely on improvements in its industrial competitiveness and an open international trade environment, the ministry said in a statement on its website.

The US should not limit imports with trade remedy measures, the statement added.

The US Department of Commerce laid out 14 proposals last Thursday to tighten trade rules. One of the proposals concerns adjustment of the method for anti-dumping calculations.

The proposals would increase penalties or toughen requirements for foreign companies the US deems selling products to the US unfairly cheap.

The proposals would not lift US industrial competitiveness but would spur retaliatory action from other nations, the statement said.

China hopes the US will handle the issues cautiously and abide by the anti-dumping and countervailing rules of the World Trade Organization, the statement said.