It is reported that 7 US steelmakers and United Steelworkers of America filed an anti dumping and countervailing suit to the US trade bodies for investigation on oil pipe. Then shortly, the Department of Commerce launched the official investigation. As per report, the case covers USD 2.7 billion of import and is one of the biggest ever case filed by the US against China. The anti-dumping case comprises 50 products and involves 202 Chinese suppliers. Insiders said the case was likely the beginning of a string of steel-dumping cases against China.

China Iron & Steel Association claimed that oil pipe is one of the most important items among Sino US trade, Chinese steel mills arrange their exports according to the market situation. CIAS believe there is no dumping amid the China's pipe export.
Mr Wang Dayong the secretary of Hebei Meteorological Association said in fact, US is not the only country that launched anti-dumping investigation against China. He said that "Trade protectionism has emerged aggressively amidst the global financial crisis. In 2008, Hebei steel mills saw 17 anti dumping cases, accounting for 43.59% of the total anti dumping cases against the province.”

Mr Wand Dayong said at the meanwhile, huge amount of Russian and Ukrainian steel products have flooded into China's market recently. In March, China imported 0.46 million tons of billet, while exported no billet at the same time. He said that "Hebei steel is now losing its competitiveness and the export volume plunged 66.49% in the first quarter of 2009."

Insiders believe the trade protectionism would further deepen the market woes. They said as steel mills still roll out large amount of production, overseas' resources continue to flood in and the international trade conflicts keep emerging, the steel market is unlikely to recover in the near future.