China challenges EU solar power subsidies at WTO

GENEVA/BEIJING (Reuters) - China launched a dispute at the World Trade Organization on Monday to challenge the European Union's support for its solar power industry, adding to rival claims of unfair competition in the global alternative energy sector.

China's Ministry of Commerce said in a statement that some EU countries' laws provided subsidies for solar electricity generation if components for the projects were produced in Europe, violating WTO rules.

The move comes days after China opened an anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigation into EU polysilicon, a material used to make solar panels.

(Reporting by Michael Martina and Tom Miles; Editing by Janet Lawrence)