The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) on Friday decided to keep the existing antidumping duty order on imports of activated carbon from China.

The bipartisan trade panel voted unanimously in determining that revoking the existing antidumping duty order would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time.

As a result of the commission's determination, the existing antidumping order issued in April 2007 on imports of this product from China will remain in force.

The Uruguay Round Agreements Act requires the Commerce Department to revoke an antidumping or countervailing duty order, or terminate a suspension agreement, after five years unless the Commerce Department and the USITC determine that revoking the order or terminating the suspension agreement would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping or subsidies and of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time.

The five-year reviews concerning activated carbon from China were instituted on March 1, 2012. The USITC voted to conduct full reviews on May 7, 2012.

With the U.S. economy reviving at a near-jobless recovery pace, the protectionist moves by the United States are also on the rise. 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. Endi