China launched action in the World Trade Organization (WTO) against the European Union's anti-dumping measures on Chinese shoes Thursday, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said.

China filed its complaint with the WTO Thursday and will negotiate with the EU under WTO's dispute settlement system, the MOC said in a statement on its website.

The EU decided in December last year to extend for another 15 months anti-dumping measures it had previously taken against Chinese shoes.

Consultation is the first step in the WTO dispute settlement process, and it can last for up to 60 days. After the consultation period, if talks have failed, China is entitled to request the WTO establish a panel to examine the complaint and rule on the case.

"The EU's anti-dumping probe and ruling violated WTO rules and undermined the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies," MOC spokesman Yao Jian said in the statement.

The EU's decision to extend the duty relates to a previous probe launched in 2008, when the 16.5-percent two-year anti-dumping duties on Chinese and Vietnamese leather shoes were about to expire.

(Xinhua News Agency February 4, 2010)