China is highly concerned about the European Union’s “trade protectionism tendencies” as the EU launched a new anti-dumping charge against Chinese corrosion resistant steel, the Commerce Ministry said in a statement on Friday. The European Union launched an investigation on Friday into whether Chinese producers of certain corrosion resistant steels are selling into Europe at unfairly low prices, in its latest action against cheap Chinese steel imports. China noted that the EU decision came only days before a non-market economy clause in its WTO deal is set to expire on Dec. 11, the ministry said in the statement. The ministry urged the EU to “timely and thoroughly” abide by its obligations when the clause expires. It said it was willing to appropriately resolve trade frictions with the EU through negotiations.