WTO rules against China on payment cards The World Trade Organisation has ruled that China discriminates against foreign electronic payment providers, handing the US its latest victory in a trade dispute over market access in the Asian nation. A panel of the global trade body said China was maintaining a monopoly for certain types - but not all - renminbi-denominated card transactions, in a manner that was inconsistent with WTO rules. China only allows one company - China UnionPay - to process domestic currency transactions and requires that all payment cards issued in the country bear its logo, shutting out foreign providers such as Visa and MasterCard. Although the US did not prevail in every argument it made before the WTO panel, the ruling was being treated as a win by the Obama administration, which is seizing every opportunity to tout its tough stance on trade enforcement with voters. "Today's win highlights that tackling unfair Chinese trade practices has been a priority of this president," said Jay Carney, White House press secretary, as Mr Obama travelled to Cincinnati in the swing state of Ohio for his latest campaign rally. "This is another judgment in the US's favour," Mr Carney said. Last month, the WTO ruled in favour of the US in its challenge to antidumping and countervailing duties imposed by China on a certain kind of high-tech steel product manufactured mostly in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Earlier this month, the US challenged other duties imposed by China on US car exports, with the announcement coming just as Mr Obama embarked on a two-day bus tour through Ohio. The win on electronic payments may have less political impact than the cases directly related to manufacturing, which affect a number of key swing states. But Tim Reif, the general counsel at the office of the US trade representative, said it would still yield job gains of about 6,000 across the country. Mr Reif signalled that the Obama administration would continue to be as aggressive as possible in bringing trade cases against China. "Where China intends to use measures that discriminate against foreign providers, we will figure it out, we will do our homework, we will put the case together, we will bring it to the WTO and we will win, " Mr Reif said on a conference call with reporters. China said it welcomed aspects of the WTO ruling but had reservations over others. Visa and MasterCard are among the US companies that stand to benefit the most if China overhauls its rules in response to the ruling, though this may take some time, especially since China now has the right to appeal. "We are hopeful that this ruling will pave the way for international payment companies to participate in the domestic payments marketplace in China," said Will Valentine, a Visa spokesman. Jim Issokson, a spokesman for MasterCard, said: "Today's news from the WTO clarifies the market situation and makes those opportunities for our company all the more interesting in this important region." "If the WTO adopts these findings, they will require reform in the sector," said Carolyn Gleason, head of the international trade group at McDermott Will & Emery, a law firm. Ms Gleason says there have been relatively few WTO cases challenging China's practices in the services sector, so the ruling could embolden countries and business interests to seek greater access to China's services market.