Beijing: "China was subject to 86 anti-dumping and trade protection probes by countries like India, Turkey, the United States and European Union in 2006, a hefty year-on-year increase of 37 per cent," latest official figures showed.

The investigations, involving a combined value of 2.05 billion US dollars, included 63 cases of anti-dumping, two cases of government subsidy, and 21 cases of investigation involving protectionist measures, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said here.

The investigations were launched by 25 countries and regions, and 48 cases reached adjudication in 2006, of which 21 ended without taking measures.

The ministry said trade remedy investigations launched by developing countries such as India and Turkey accounted for 71 per cent of all anti-dumping and trade protection probes against China in 2006.

Detailed country-wise figures were not provided by the ministry. The number of anti-dumping cases by the United States against China was low, but the US launched the first anti-subsidy probe against China and pursued stricter anti-dumping rules.

The number of anti-dumping investigations by the European Union against China remained high, with a record 12 in 2006.

China's exports of machinery and electronics products were seriously hampered because of the EU's enforcement of new regulations on importing electrical and electronic products, the ministry said.