US-China trade tensions deepened Saturday with a US
International Trade Commission (ITC) decision allowing anti-dumping
duties on Chinese iron pipe fittings, capping a week when the two
countries fought over textile trade.??
The ITC completed a year-long investigation by ruling in a 6-0
vote that two small American firms were harmed by China's sales of
pipe fittings at below-market prices.
The vote paves the way for the US Commerce Department to
finalize US duties expected to average about 11 percent on the iron
pipe fittings used for natural gas, oil and water pipelines.
The US$20 million worth of Chinese pipe-fitting shipments are
dwarfed by China's textile and apparel exports to the United
States, which are valued at about US$11 billion a year.
China has voiced outrage over the Bush administration plans,
announced Wednesday, to limit surging Chinese exports of knitted
fabrics, bathrobes and brassieres.
The US textile industry, which has lost hundreds of thousands of
jobs from cheap imports, is pressing for protections on a far
broader range of clothing from China.
By year's end, the US and China could also find themselves
caught up in a trade fight over furniture.
ITC investigators Saturday were probing China's rapidly growing
shipments of wooden bedroom furniture, amid requests by the US
industry for stiff anti-dumping duties.
A preliminary vote on whether US companies are harmed by China's
furniture exports is expected in mid-to late December, around the
time the US Commerce Department makes a preliminary decision on
possible anti-dumping duties against China.
The disputes come against a backdrop of China's anger over US
steel tariffs.
The two US pipe-fitting companies that sought the anti-dumping
duties are Ward Manufacturing of Blossburg, Pennsylvania, and Anvil
International Inc. of Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Thomas Gleason, vice president of marketing and sales for Ward
Manufacturing, said the US Commerce Department notified his firm
the final anti-dumping rate would average about 11 percent, far
below what he said was needed to discourage imports.
During testimony Saturday, American firms, many based in
southern states that have been losing textile and manufacturing
jobs, complained about China's bedroom furniture exports.
(Xinhua News Agency November 24, 2003)