BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. Department of Commerce announced the results of preliminary antidumping duty investigations of imports of certain fabricated structural steel (FSS) from China and Mexico.
It has been found that exporters from China have dumped FSS in the United States at margins ranging up to 141.38 percent. Mexican exporters have dumped fabricated structural steel at margins ranging up to 30.58 percent.
The Commerce Department also announced a negative preliminary determination in the antidumping duty investigation of certain fabricated structural steel from Canada. The department said it will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to collect cash deposits from Chinese, Mexican importers based on the preliminary rates.
The United States is a major buyer of fabricated structural steel from these countries. In 2018, the country had imported an estimated $722.5 million worth of steel from Canada. During this period, Chinese manufacturers exported the material to the U.S. valued at $897.5 million.
The import value of FSS from Mexico was $622.4 million.
The Department of Commerce conducted the inquiry on the basis of a complaint by the American Institute of Steel Construction Full Member Subgroup, based in Chicago. It will announce the final determinations in these investigations by January.
If Commerce's final determinations are affirmative, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) will make its final injury determinations in March. Commerce will issue Anti Dumping Duty orders on the basis of it.
Foreign companies that price their products in the U.S. market below the cost of production or below prices in their home markets are subject to antidumping duties.
The Trump Administration has been aggressively imposing protectionist tariff on foreign imports that it believes are priced below fair market value.
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