The U.S. government on Monday welcomed a World Trade Organization ruling that upheld President Barack Obama’s controversial decision last year to slap duties on Chinese-made tires to protect U.S. workers from a market-disrupting surge in imports.

“This is a major victory for the United States and particularly for American workers and businesses,” U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said in a statement.
“We have said all along that our imposition of duties on Chinese tires was fully consistent with our WTO obligations. It is significant that the WTO panel has agreed with us, on all grounds.”

The ruling came as Chinese officials were gathering in Washington for high-level trade talks under an annual forum called the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade.