China’s commerce ministry said it hopes the US will not resort to trade remedies too frequently after the US Aluminum Association asked the American commerce department to open anti-dumping and anti-bribery investigations into imported Chinese aluminum foil.
China and the US have a good foundation for cooperation in the aluminum industry, said Wang Hejun, director of the Trade Remedy and Investigation Bureau at China’s Ministry of Commerce. Both countries regularly import aluminum from each other, as they produce complementary products, he added.

He believes cooperation is the only correct choice for a mutually beneficial relationship between the countries. Both cooperate on a large scale in the industry and communicate smoothly, Wang said, adding that he hopes the countries can resolve their concerns through negotiation, without the need for the US Department of Commerce. China will refuse any allegations or investigations that may undermine the synergetic results the countries produce, he added.

Four days ago, the US Aluminum Association trade law enforcement team and its members applied to the US commerce department to launch anti-dumping and anti-bribery investigations on steel imported from China, hoping to see 38 percent anti-dumping charges for consumption and 134 percent for industry. The association said Chinese producers receive improper subsidies from the government and sell products at unfairly low prices, damaging the business of foreign rivals.

China exported 168,500 tons of aluminum foil to the US last year, making up 15.6 percent of total foil exports. Though it is not a particularly large volume, the US regards the increasing growth rate as a threat. The total size of the US market is around USD5 billion, according to the US Aluminum Association, with 36 percent depending on imports. China is the country’s largest supplier.