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December 31, 2009

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US move raises trade tensions

The United States Commerce Department has announced it will impose preliminary anti-dumping duties on imports of steel gratings from China, increasing the number of trade disputes between the two countries.

Chinese producers were alleged to be selling steel gratings at 14.36 to 145.18 percent below their normal value in the US, the department said on Tuesday.

The US Customs and Border Protection will collect a cash deposit based on the preliminary ruling. The department said it is scheduled to make its final decision in April next year.

"China should get ready for a prolonged battle," said Sun Lijian, an economics professor at Fudan University.

"Companies had better diversify their sales destinations, while the government should work actively to fight against the trend."

American imports of steel gratings from China soared 538.4 percent by volume from 2006 to 2008. Their value was estimated at US$90.7 million last year, according to Xinhua news agency.

Under normal procedures, if the department makes an affirmative final decision next year, the case will be sent to the US International Trade Commission for another evaluation. If both are affirmative, the US will issue an anti-dumping duty order.

China's Ministry of Commerce has not responded to the US decision so far but in earlier cases, China blasted other US decisions and called such moves purely protectionism which will harm the global economic recovery.

Since September, the US has imposed tariffs on Chinese-made tires and steel pipes, and criticized China's practice of controlling exports of raw materials.

China announced a preliminary ruling earlier this month on imports of steel used in electrical apparatus shipped from the US. China also started anti-dumping investigation into imports of US-made auto parts and poultry.




 

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