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Beijing lodged the complaints with the World Trade Organization in Brussels Friday, alleging high import tariffs imposed by the European Union on Chinese screws and a U.S. ban on poultry from the country are unfair, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Trade experts told the newspaper the suits are evidence China is learning to use its leverage with the WTO, which it joined in 2001. Simon Lester of the Washington consultancy WorldTradeLaw.net LLC said Beijing is gradually becoming more of player in WTO politics.

"It took them a few years to care about and understand the process", he told the Journal, adding that Beijing established itself as a leading player among trading nations at a multilateral trade summit in Geneva in July 2008.

In its Friday complaints, Chinese officials said the EU ignored WTO procedures when it raised tariffs on the import of screws and similar parts earlier this year, while EU officials counter that China is benefiting from tax breaks and illegally "dumping" the products on the EU market, the newspaper said.

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