Posted by
alfredlester on Wednesday, December 30, 2009 2:06:57 PM
WASHINGTON (Reuters) &<51; An American trade panel gave final approval Wednesday for duties of 10 to 16 percent on Chinese-made steel pipe in the biggest United States trade case to date against China.
The International Trade Commission voted 6-0 in favor of the duties set by the Commerce Department to offset Chinese government subsidies.
The United States imported $2.74 billion of the &S220;oil country tubular goods&S221; from China in 2008, more than triple the previous year, as a surge in oil prices led to increased demand for the oil well pipe.
The vote caps a year of United States-China trade friction.
American companies and unions brought about a dozen trade cases against China in 2009, citing government subsidies and unfair pricing practices.
President Obama also angered Beijing in September by slapping a 35-percent duty on imports of about $1.85 billion of Chinese-made tires in response to what the trade commission said was a market-disrupting surge.
China, in response, has accused the United States of protectionism, filed a complaint against the tires decision at the World Trade Organization and began an inquiry into whether American-made autos were being &S220;dumped&S221; in China at unfairly low prices fast cash without a hassle.
The United Steelworkers union, which was the driving force behind the tires case, joined with the Maverick Tube Corporation, the United States Steel Corporation and other American manufacturers in asking for import duties on Chinese-made pipe.
The vote Wednesday clears the way for the Commerce Department to impose final countervailing duties ranging from 10.36 percent to 15.78 percent on the pipe to offset Chinese government subsidies, as announced on November 24.
The Commerce Department has also announced preliminary anti-dumping duties ranging up to 99 percent on the pipe and is expected to announce its final decision on the size of those additional duties in early April.
That would set the stage for a second trade commission vote, expected in May, on whether to allow those additional duties.
Trade Panel Backs Duties on Chinese Steel Pipe
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