(SHANGHAI) - China said Friday it regretted European steelmaker calls this week for the European Union to take anti-dumping action against imports from the Asian giant.

"We express regrets over the appeals by the European Confederation of Iron and Steel Industries and will pay close attention to development of these two cases," the commerce ministry said in a statement on its website.

The EU steel industry association, Eurofer, said Monday it had filed two dumping complaints with the European Commission targeting cold-rolled, stainless flat steel and galvanised steel products from China.

South Korea and Taiwan were also named as dumpers of cold-rolled, stainless flat steel.

The EU steel industry group also said that a third complaint would be lodged next week against Chinese-made wire rods and a fourth targeting heavy plates was in the works.

European steelmakers accuse the three Asian makers of flooding their markets with product sold at below manufacturing cost, which is called dumping.

The Chinese ministry said it hoped the European Commission would handle the case with due caution and "refrain from anti-dumping action."

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