Brussels, 30/03/2009 (Agence Europe) - Dutch Trade Minister Frank Heemskerk, visiting Washington last week, drew attention to the risk of a trade war brought about by climate change policy. “Developed countries must not carry into trade their disagreements with states they feel are not doing enough to combat global warming. It we use a loophole in WTO rules to impose trade restrictions on China, for example, for not sufficiently reducing its CO2 emissions, the Chinese will use the same methods to block our trade and investment. If we venture into this area, it will certainly end in trade war. Let us not embark on such a path,” he said. Several US industries fear being penalised internationally if the US Congress legislates on climate change, if the major developing economies, such as China and India, do not follow suit. US Energy Secretary Steven Chu said in mid-March that he would like to see consideration given to a carbon tax on imports from countries not taking part in efforts to tackle climate change. Beijing immediately rejected this suggestion, which it deemed protectionist. Heemskerk said that customs barriers would be ineffective against China, “since Chinese exporting firms are often the best pupils in the class, and that includes on the environment”. Customs barriers would not, however, have any effect on the worst polluting companies, which mainly supply the Chinese market. (E.H./transl.rt)