China on Friday harshly criticised an EU decision to place anti-dumping duties on some Chinese-made shoes, calling the action groundless and discriminatory as manufacturers also prepared to fight.

A worker makes shoes at a factory in Xiangfan, central China's Hubei province March 24, 2006. China's state media denounced an EU decision to place anti-dumping duties on some Chinese-made shoes on Friday as manufacturers prepared to contest the move. [Reuters]

China's Ministry of Commerce, which handles international trade, said China was "unhappy" about the EU decision to impose duties of up to 19.4 percent on leather shoes.

Spokesman Chong Quan said Chinese shoemakers were not dumping and "have not caused substantial damage" to European shoemakers, according to a statement issued on the ministry Web site.

"This approach lacks any basis in fact and law, and violates the principles of fair trade," said Chong.

The European Commission on Thursday formally approved the anti-dumping duties, which include duties of 16.8 percent on leather shoes from Vietnam. It said the decision affected about nine of every 100 pairs of shoes bought in the EU.

Brussels says it has evidence of serious state intervention for Chinese and Vietnamese shoe exporters, including non-commercial government loans and bargain deals on land. It will phase in the duties over six months from April 7, starting at about 4 percent.

Chong said Brussels was "clearly discriminatory" in refusing to accept that Chinese shoemakers operated in a "market" setting.

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