BEIJING -- The Ministry of Commerce said Tuesday that more trade remedy probes have been launched against Chinese products in the first half of the year amid the global economic slump.

In the first six months, 18 countries and regions have made 40 trade remedy investigations against Chinese products, a jump of 38 percent from a year earlier, MOC spokesman Shen Danyang said at a regular press conference.

These investigations involved $3.7 billion, a surge of 76 percent from last year, the spokesman said.

Investigation cases initiated by major developing countries such as Brazil and India accounted for 70 percent, but cases by developed economies accounted for 60 percent in terms of value involved, he said.

The spokesman said the Chinese government always sticks to the principle of free trade and opposes all kinds of trade protectionism and the abuse of trade remedies.

As the global recovery faces increasing uncertainties and unstable factors, China hopes parties involved can push forward exchanges and cooperation among industries to jointly promote global economic development, Shen said.

Regarding China-US trade, Shen said the two nations have together filed 20 trade complaints to the World Trade Organization dispute settlement system since China's entry into the WTO in 2001.

He said 11 cases have been concluded, and the two nations are currently proceeding with nine cases, six of which were filed by the United States.