BEIJING, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Commerce announced on Saturday that it has initiated an anti-dumping investigation into imports of certain analog IC chips originating from the United States.

In response to a media query, a spokesperson for the ministry said the U.S. government has recently overstretched the concept of national security, abused export controls and long-arm jurisdiction, and maliciously blocked and suppressed China's chip products and the artificial intelligence industry.

Such practices have seriously violated World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and damaged the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises, and China is firmly opposed to them, the spokesperson said.

The probe was launched in response to an application submitted by a provincial semiconductor industry association on behalf of the domestic industry, the ministry said in a statement.

The investigation will target commodity interface IC chips and gate driver IC chips using 40-nanometer and above process technologies.

The probe is expected to conclude by Sept. 13, 2026, with a possible six-month extension under special circumstances, the ministry said.

The spokesperson stressed that the anti-dumping investigation was initiated at the request of China's domestic industry in accordance with Chinese laws and regulations, as well as WTO rules.

Preliminary evidence submitted by the applicant showed that from 2022 to 2024, imports of the products from the United States increased by 37 percent while their prices fell by 52 percent, which depressed China's domestic prices and harmed the production and operations of the domestic industry, the spokesperson said.

The investigation authorities will conduct the probe in line with statutory procedures, fully safeguard the rights of all stakeholders, and make an objective and fair ruling based on the findings, the spokesperson added.

On the same day, the ministry also announced the launch of an anti-discrimination investigation into relevant U.S. measures targeting China's integrated circuit sector.

Preliminary evidence indicates that the U.S. measures constitute prohibitive, restrictive or other like measures on a discriminatory basis under China's Foreign Trade Law, the ministry said.

The China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products expressed strong support for the ministry's decisions, pledging to actively support and cooperate with the investigations.

The chamber said it firmly opposes U.S. unilateral measures, which undermine the legitimate rights of Chinese enterprises and industries, and disrupt global industrial and supply chains.

It called on enterprises to strengthen technological innovation, enhance industrial coordination and expand international cooperation to jointly promote high-quality development of the semiconductor industry, foster an open, fair and orderly market, and contribute to the prosperity of the global semiconductor sector.

Also on Saturday, the ministry responded to a U.S. move to add multiple Chinese entities to its export control list. A spokesperson said China firmly opposes the move, which targets Chinese entities in the semiconductor, biotechnology, aerospace, and commercial and trade logistics sectors.

The spokesperson noted that with China and the United States scheduled to hold economic and trade talks in Spain from Sept. 14, "the U.S. decision to sanction Chinese enterprises raises questions about its true intentions."