The World Trade Organisation has upheld a decision that tariffs imposed by China on imports of certain steel products from the United States were illegal.
Beijing had imposed duties on a particular kind of US steel, claiming that its makers were being given subsidies by the US government.
The WTO ruled against the tariffs in June and has upheld the decision saying that China had failed to prove its claims.
Last month, the US federal government filed another complaint against China with the WTO, accusing it of illegally subsidising car exports.
The BBC reports that was in addition to two other complaints the Obama administration has filed with the WTO against China this year.
The first accused Beijing of restricting its exports of rare earth metals, which are used to make high-tech devices.
The second accused Beijing of unfairly imposing anti-dumping duties on US cars exported to China, making them more expensive to buy.