The Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) will start its first anti-dumping case today against the import of ethanolamine from Japan, the United States, Germany, Iran, Malaysia, Mexico and China's Taiwan.
The case was initiated by petitions from the Fushun Beifang Chemical Industry Co Ltd and Jili Chemical Shareholding Co Ltd.
The investigation should be wrapped up within one year, or before May 14 next year, but can be extended for another six months if necessary, MOFCOM said Tuesday.
Ethanolamine, a necessity in the chemical industry, includes monoethanolamine, diethanolamine and triethanolamine. The latter will not be subject to investigation.
MOFCOM was established in March and took over all of the responsibilities of the now defunct Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Co-operation (MOFTEC), in addition to part of the burden from the former State Economic and Trade Commission and the former State Development and Planning Commission.
China started 22 anti-dumping cases and one safeguard measure from 1997 to 2002.
They mainly involve the iron and steel, chemical and light industries.
They have saved the industries losses of about 20 billion yuan (US$2.42 billion), according to official statistics.
China enhanced its protection of a fair trading environment for domestic and overseas firms after its entry to the World Trade Organization.
It established the Fair Trade Bureau for Import and Export under the former MOFTEC to take charge of responding to overseas anti-dumping and anti-subsidy charges and safeguarding measures, looking at the trade barriers of foreign countries and reviewing and accepting domestic petitions for anti-dumping, anti-subsidy and safeguarding measures.
(China Daily May 15, 2003)
