Thirty-nine anti-dumping investigations against imported goods
have been launched by China since its first in 1997, a Ministry of Commerce
official told Xinhua News Agency on Monday.
Wang Qinhua, director of the ministry's Bureau of Industry
Injury Investigation, said 22 of them have been concluded, all of
which have resulted in anti-dumping taxes being imposed on foreign
goods.
Wang said the measures have usually resulted in levels of the
imported products falling and prices returning to reasonable
levels.
The investigations have involved 38 products in five sectors --
chemicals, steel, light industry, textiles and electronics -- and
more than 120 domestic companies in 23 provinces and cities have
taken part.
Over two-thirds of the cases were in the chemicals industry, and
the first 30 involved a total sum of US$6 billion.
The biggest case, against cold rolled steel products from
Russia, South Korea, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Taiwan, involved
US$1.7 billion. After an 18-month investigation, the ministry said
in September 2003 that imports had been dumped onto the Chinese
market at low prices, and it introduced a five-year anti-dumping
tax on these goods.
Wang said that since China entered its post-WTO transition
period on January 1 it will face more trade disputes, and many
major industries will be affected.
The auto industry had quotas on imported automobiles until 2005.
In 2006, the tariff for automobiles will be reduced to 25 percent
and that for spare parts to an average of 10 percent. By the end of
this year, foreign companies will be able to independently run
courier and freight forwarding services and foreign banks granted
increased access. By 2007, all restrictions on foreign service
suppliers will be removed.
With further opening-up of the domestic market, industries are
sure to struggle against greater pressure and challenges from
foreign competitors. Ministry officials also warned that, as more
countries grant China market economy status, anti-subsidy charges
against Chinese exports are sure to increase.
According to Wang, WTO members dispute whether anti-subsidy
charges can apply to non-market economy countries. However, since
the first anti-subsidy investigation of Chinese goods by Canada
last year, the US and the EU have both used domestic law to impose
anti-subsidy charges against non-market economy countries. On July
27, the US House of Representatives passed the US Trade Rights
Enforcement Act aimed at imposing an anti-subsidy tax on Chinese
goods.
These kinds of measures have become a significant challenge for
both Chinese enterprises and the government, said Wang.
(China.org.cn by Wind Gu, August 10, 2005)