BEIJING – China on Thursday defended its restrictions on the export of certain raw materials, countering accusations from the United States and Europe that the curbs amounted to trade protectionism.

On Wednesday, the United States, joined by the European Union and Mexico, asked the World Trade Organization to set up a dispute settlement panel to rule on the restrictions.

"The goal of export administrative measures on some raw materials is to protect the environment and our limited resources," the Ministry of Commerce said in a statement faxed to AFP.

"The regulations conform to the needs of China's own (sustainable) development, while also advancing China's efforts towards the sustainable development of the global economy."

The United States has said the materials at issue were bauxite, coke, fluorspar, magnesium, manganese, silicon metal, silicon carbide, yellow phosphorus and zinc.

The materials are key inputs for numerous products in the steel, aluminum and chemical sectors across the globe.

The United States and the 27-nation EU filed an initial complaint at the WTO on June 23, and Mexico joined the consultations on August 21.

"The products being disputed actually form a very small percentage of Sino-US and Sino-EU trade," the Chinese commerce ministry statement said.

"To believe that the Chinese measures are harming the US and EU steel industries' recovery from the global financial crisis is overstated."

The statement further said China was opposed to trade protectionism and was in full conformity with WTO trade rules.