U.S. approves anti-dumping probes against melamine from China, Trinidad

30/12/2014 12:00 - 490 Views

WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) on Monday approved anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations against imported melamine from China and Trinidad and Tobago, paving the way for the Department of Commerce to set preliminary duties in the months ahead.

The trade panel voted in the affirmative that there was a reasonable indication that a U.S. industry was materially injured by imports of these products, the ITC said in a statement.

Melamine is a crystalline powder or granule that is typically used in the production of melamine resins used in laminates, surface coatings, adhesives, molding compounds and paper treatment.

As a result of the ITC's affirmative determinations, the U.S. Department of Commerce will continue the investigations launched on Dec. 3 on imports of these products and is expected to make its preliminary countervailing duty determination on Feb. 5, 2015 and its anti-dumping duty determination on April 21, 2015, the ITC said.

The investigations are in response to a petition filed by Cornerstone Chemical Company based in the U.S. state of Louisiana.

The company alleged that melamine from China, Trinidad and Tobago were sold below the fair value of the products in the U.S. market with dumping margins of 255.44 to 363.31 percent, 166.9 to 189.1 percent, respectively, while producers and exporters from these two countries also received government subsidies.

Imports of these products from China were estimated at 14.1 million U.S. dollars last year, according to U.S. official data.

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.

Source: Xinhua