WASHINGTON — The United States announced Tuesday preliminary penalties on imports of some Chinese steel grating, saying the products were sold at below-market value to gain an unfair trade advantage.

The US this year has imposed duties on other China-made steel products because of alleged dumping or export subsidies, including steel pipes.

The Commerce Department said it had preliminarily found that Chinese producers/exporters had sold steel grating in the United States at 14.36 to 145.18 percent less than normal value.

"As a result of this preliminary determination, Commerce will instruct US Customs and Border Protection to collect a cash deposit or bond based on these preliminary rates," the department said in a statement.

The steel grating is used for walkways, platforms and flooring. Imports of these products have increased sixfold between 2006 and 2008, to an estimated value of 90.7 billion dollars, the department said.

The Commerce Department is scheduled to make its final determination in April 2010.

"If Commerce makes an affirmative final determination, and the US International Trade Commission makes an affirmative final determination that imports of steel grating from China materially injure, or threaten material injury to, the domestic industry, Commerce will issue an antidumping duty order," the statement said.

The United States and China for months have been locked in a trade tussle involving a number of World Trade Organization complaints and retaliatory measures on an array of products, including US car products and chicken meat and Chinese steel pipes and tires.

(AFP) – December 30, 2009

Source: www.afp.com