U.S. Commerce Department confirms steep duties on subsided Chinese aluminium foil

On Tuesday February 27, the U.S. Commerce Department made a final determination that imports of aluminium foil from China are being sold in the United States at less than the fair market price as the producers are getting government subsidies from Beijing.

The statement confirmed that antidumping and countervailing duties would be levied on a number of Chinese firms. Dumping margins would be ranging from 48.64% to 106.09%and anti-subsidy rates would be about 17.14% to 80.97%.

“This Administration is committed to trade that is fair and reciprocal, and we will not allow American workers and businesses to be harmed by unfair imports,” said Secretary Wilbur Ross.

The duties are subject to similar findings by the International Trade Commission (ITC), which is expected to be announced by March 15. In between the trade tension between the two countries President Trump would decide soon whether to impose much broader duties on steel and aluminium imports under a national security investigation. The Commerce Department also explained that the foil case against Chinese producers would have no bearing on the “Section 232” report on aluminium that is under consideration.

The Commerce Department specified that antidumping margins will be set at 48.64% for Jiangsu Zhongji Lamination Materials Stock Co Ltd, at 106.09% for Hangzhou Dingsheng Import & Export Co Ltd and related companies, 89.54% for 14 other companies and 106.09% for the rest of Chinese producers.

Countervailing duty margins will be 17.14%for Jiangsu Zhongji, 19.98% for Dingsheng, 80.97% for Loften Aluminum (Hong Kong) Limited, Manakin Industries LLC and Suzhou Manakin Aluminum Processing Technology Co Ltd, and 18.56%for all other Chinese producers.

According to Commerce Department data, China exported aluminium foil valued an estimated $389 million in 2016. Last month, a group of U.S. primary aluminium producers, representing organizations and foil producers testified before the ITC on how their industry had been affected by Chinese imports and urged for anti-dumping duties.

 “The Aluminum Association and its foil-producing members are extremely pleased with the Commerce Department’s final determinations,” the group’s president, Heidi Brock, said in the statement.