China Sets Anti-dumping Duties on EU and Japanese Steel Tubes

 
China has set anti-dumping duties on some stainless steel tubes imported from the European Union and Japan, the Ministry of Commerce said on May 8, 2012, finalising a probe launched in September after complaints from Chinese producers.

The ministry said Chinese producers had been harmed by imports of high-grade stainless steel seamless tubes sold at unfairly low prices.

Starting on May 9, importers of the EU and Japanese tubes, largely used in power plants, will be forced to pay duties from 9.7 to 39.2 percent.

China, the world's biggest steel producer and consumer, has been repeatedly cited by major trade partners for alleged dumping during its massive exports of steel products before the financial crisis in 2008. China still relies on imports of some high-grade steel products.

The United States has set duties on Chinese steel products, including pipes, steel wheels and wire. In March, it said it would investigate Chinese dumping of stainless steel sinks.

Beijing has a number of trade disputes with the world's three other largest economic powers. In March, the EU, Japan and the United States launched a case at the World Trade Organization over China's restrictions on exports of rare earth elements critical to major industries.