European vote against China market status not 'constructive': Beijing

A European Parliament vote against granting China market economy status in the World Trade Organisation was "not at all constructive", Beijing's foreign minister said Monday as he met his French counterpart.

The designation would make it much harder for Brussels to fight Beijing over alleged unfair trading practices.

China joined the WTO in 2001, and argues that accession protocols dictate it will automatically switch over to market economy status by this December, 15 years later.

But European lawmakers in Strasbourg last week voted overwhelmingly against issuing the designation, concerned that doing so would cost Europe job losses in key industries such as steel.