Beijing has launched a trade dispute at the World Trade Organization against the United States over its chip export control measures, the Ministry of Commerce said.

The United States passed a sweeping set of regulations in October aimed at curbing the nation’s semiconductor industry.

"China takes legal actions within the WTO framework as a necessary way to address our concerns and to defend our legitimate interests," said a statement by the ministry.

It added that the US curbs "threatened the stability of the global industrial supply chains".

In response, spokesperson for the US Trade Representative’s office, Adam Hodge, said: "We have received a request for consultations from the [People's Republic of China] related to certain US actions affecting semiconductors.”

"As we have already communicated to the PRC, these targeted actions relate to national security, and the WTO is not the appropriate forum to discuss issues related to national security," Hodge said in an emailed statement.

The so-called request for consultations is the first step in a long procedure at the global trade body. The United States has blocked appointments to the WTO's top ruling body on trade disputes, meaning some rows never get settled.

Beijing's complaint on US chip export curbs comes days after a WTO ruling against Washington in a separate suit about metal tariffs that had been brought by China among others. The United States, a regular critic of the WTO's arbitration proceedings, rejected the WTO's findings. (Reuters)