U.S. to Continue Shrimp Trade Probes against Seven Countries

 
The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) on Feb. 7 cleared the way for the government to continue anti-dumping investigations on imports of frozen warmwater shrimp from seven countries.

The USITC voted 5 to 1 in determining that there is a reasonable indication that a U.S. industry is materially hurt by imports of frozen warmwater shrimp from China, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. It also alleged these shrimp were subsidized.

As a result, the U.S. Commerce Department will continue its countervailing probe that began on Jan. 18 and is expected to make its preliminary decision in late March.

In 2011, the United States imported frozen warmwater shrimp from China at an estimated 153.7 million U.S. dollars, 8.4 percent less than in 2010, according to the U.S. government's data.

In addition, the U.S. government has already slapped antidumping duty orders on frozen warmwater shrimp from Brazil, China, India, Thailand and Vietnam.

As the U.S. economy is undergoing a slow recovery, Washington has increasingly resorted to protectionist practices. As of Nov. 6, 2012, it has imposed anti-dumping or anti-subsidy duties on more than 120 products from 36 countries on the excuse that the imports had materially harmed related U.S. industries.

Chinese products including consumer goods, chemical, iron and steel products, farm produce and sea food are heavily targeted by such punitive duties.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has repeatedly urged Washington to abide by its commitment against protectionism and help maintain a free, open and just international trade environment.