The Chinese embassy in Ottawa criticized duties slapped by Canada this week on Chinese imported steel, saying on Friday they violated World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and disrupted the global trade order.

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced tighter rules around steel imports this week. The move is an effort to protect Canada's domestic industry from "dumping" as the global trade of the metal undergoes major shifts because of government actions out of the United States and China.

The prime minister pledges to diversify its trading partners away from the US and prioritise the use of Canadian steel.