A Ministry of Economic Affairs probe into anti-dumping charges against cement and cement clinker imports from China found the Chinese products “had a substantial impact on Taiwan’s cement industry.”

The Chinese imports involve Portland cement type I, type II and its cement clinker, the International Trade Commission (ITC) said in a statement yesterday.

Portland cement type I is suitable for all uses in buildings and roads, while the type II cement is used for reservoirs, piers and heavy retaining walls. Clinker is used in making cement.

The commission said it would send its conclusions to the Ministry of Finance for review.
Under the Implementation Regulation on the Imposition of Countervailing and Antidumping Duties, the finance ministry should — within 10 days of receiving the ITC’s notice — submit the case to the Tariff Commission to determine whether to impose a countervailing duty or antidumping duty.

The ITC began its investigation in October last year, less than four months after Taiwan signed the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) with China.

The complaint was filed by the Taiwan Cement Products Association which said cheaper Chinese imports had cost its members’ business.

In January, the ITC published a preliminary report, finding that dumping of Portland cement from China had damaged local cement producers, such as Taiwan Cement Corp and Asia Cement Corp.

Other Taiwanese makers that joined the anti-dumping complaint included Lucky Cement Co, Southeast Cement Corp, Hsin Hsin Cement Enterprise Corp, Universal Cement Corp and Hsing Ta Cement Co.

The ITC said the Chinese cement products had increased their market share from 12.6 percent in 2007 to 21.2 percent in 2009, then dropped to 19.4 percent last year and fell to 13.6 percent in the first quarter of this year — when the dumping probe was underway.

In May, the finance ministry said it planned to levy a provisional anti-dumping tax on Chinese cement imports of more than 95 percent.