www.chinabuses.org: China has officially launched an anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigation into the imports of vehicles with engine displacement of 2.0 liters and above and SUVs from the United States.

The move was taken at the request of domestic Chinese automakers who allege that vehicles in these categories are entering China by way of "unfair trade practices such as dumping and receiving subsidies", China's Ministry of Commerce said in a statement released on November 6.

Nonetheless, it is widely seen as a retaliatory measure, taken by the Chinese government in response to a new tariff on Chinese tires, authorized by President Obama on September 11.

Quoted by Reuters, a U.S. official said last week the big three American carmakers now export about 9,000 vehicles to China each year.