In late 2001, China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO). This immediately precipitated a tidal wave of international trade disputes- a confrontation that pitted Chinese exporters and the Chinese Government against producers throughout the world that were severely threatened by Chinese competition.
Dean represented Chinese industry and the Chinese Government in the first anti-dumping and subsidy cases launched against them shortly after China’s entry into the WTO. Dean successfully resolved both matters in favor of Chinese industry and the Chinese Government. His defense involved advocacy before the Canadian International Trade Tribunal and the Canadian authorities responsible for enforcement of WTO trade law. In the anti-dumping case, Dean obtained an unprecedented ruling that the applicable Chinese industry constituted a “market economy” by WTO standards.
Dean’s ground breaking work on these first anti-dumping and subsidy cases led to further representation of the Chinese Government and Chinese industry in several ensuing WTO matters.
Throughout this process, Dean spent substantial time on the ground in several Chinese economic trade zones. He also maintained an ongoing presence in Beijing at the headquarters of MOFCOM- the most powerful and influential Chinese ministry responsible for, amongst other things, the oversight of all WTO disputes. Dean sought out and closely conferred with leading Chinese law firms. He directly managed their discrete assignments and incorporated their collective input into his line of defense on behalf of the Chinese Government and Chinese industry.
