On Dec. 29 the U.S. placed preliminary penalties on imports of some Chinese steel grating, saying the products were sold at below-market value to gain an unfair trade advantage.
This year the U.S. has imposed duties on other China-made steel products because of alleged dumping or export subsidies, including steel pipes.
The Commerce Department said it had preliminarily found that Chinese producers/exporters had sold steel grating in the U.S. at 14.36% to 145.18% less than normal value.
The steel grating is used for walkways, platforms and flooring. Imports of these products have increased sixfold between 2006 and 2008, to an estimated value of $90.7 billion, the department said.
"As a result of this preliminary determination, Commerce will instruct Customs and Border Protection to collect a cash deposit or bond based on these preliminary rates," the department. The Commerce Department is scheduled to make its final determination in April 2010.
The U.S. and China for months have been locked in a trade tussle involving a number of World Trade Organization complaints and retaliatory measures on an array of products, including U.S. car products and chicken meat and Chinese steel pipes and tires.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2009
