U.S. sets final dumping margins on steel products from 5 countries

The U.S. Commerce Department on Tuesday set final dumping margins on imports of steel products from five foreign countries, paving the way for the U.S. government to impose punitive duties on the products in the months ahead.

The department made its affirmative final determination that non-oriented electrical steel (NOES) from Chinese mainland and Taiwan had been sold below the fair value of the products in the U. S. market with dumping margins of 407.52 percent, 27.54 percent to 52.23 percent, respectively. The dumping margins for products from Germany, Japan, the Republic of Korea and Sweden ranged from 6.88 percent to 204.79 percent.

The department also determined that producers and exporters of NOES from Chinese mainland and Taiwan received countervailing subsidy rates of 158.88 percent, 8.8 percent to 17.12 percent, respectively.

NOES is typically used in the production of large and small motors, generators, lighting ballasts and ignition coils, the department said in a statement.

Last year, imports of NOES from Chinese mainland and Taiwan were estimated at 11.9 million U.S. dollars and 8.1 million dollars, respectively, according to U.S. official data.

Punitive duties would be imposed after the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) made an affirmative final rule, which is scheduled on Nov. 20. If the ITC makes a negative determination, the investigations will be terminated.

The move is the latest in a string of trade measures targeting imports of other countries, arousing concerns that protectionism is again on the rise in the United States. Beijing has repeatedly urged Washington to honor its commitment against protectionism and work with China to maintain a free, open and just trade environment.