US extends antidumping duties on China's thermal paper

WASHINGTON -- A US trade panel voted Wednesday to extend antidumping and countervailing duties on lightweight thermal paper from China after the first five-year review of the measures imposed initially in 2008.

The US International Trade Commission (ITC) voted against revoking the existing duty orders on lightweight thermal paper from China, saying it "would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time."

The US Commerce Department is required to remove an antidumping or countervailing duty order, or terminate a suspension agreement, after five years unless the department and the ITC vote against it, according to the Uruguay Round Agreements Act.

The United States initially issued the antidumping and countervailing duty orders on imports of lightweight thermal paper from China in 2008. The Commerce Department agreed to institute the first five-year review of the measures in October, 2013 and the ITC voted to conduct full reviews in January, 2014.

In February, the Commerce Department determined that revocation of the existing duty orders on lightweight thermal paper from China would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping, with the dumping margin of 19.77 percent to 115.29 percent.

The department also determined that Chinese producers and exporters of the products received countervailable subsidies ranging from 13.63 percent to 138.53 percent.

Beijing has repeatedly urged Washington to honor its commitment against protectionism and work with China to maintain a free, open and just trade environment.