China has launched a suit at the World Trade Organization against the United States over the latter's chip export control measures, China's Ministry of Commerce said.

The move is a necessary step to solve China's concerns through legal means and to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests, the ministry added in a statement on late Monday night.

In October, the US announced a sweeping set of export controls aimed at containing China's advancement in the semiconductor industry.

The US curbs obstructed the normal international trade of chips and other products, as well as threatened the stability of the global industrial supply chains, the ministry added.