Duties set for Chinese steel wheels

Commerce has determined that exporters receive preferential subsidies from the Chinese government.

   The Commerce Department has determined that Chinese exporters of certain steel wheels to the U.S. receive preferential export subsidies from the Chinese government. 
   Based on its investigation, Commerce assigned preliminary subsidy rates of 172.51 percent to Zhejiang Jingu Co. Ltd. and Shanghai Yata Industry Co. Ltd. and 58.75 percent to Xiamen Sunrise Wheel Group Co. Ltd. The department also set a preliminary subsidy rate of 58.75 percent for all other Chinese producers and exporters of steel wheels.
   Commerce will now instruct Customs and Border Protection to collect cash deposits from U.S. importers of Chinese steel wheels based on the preliminary rates.   
   According to the department, the investigated steel wheel imports from China in 2017 were valued at $388 million.  
   The petitioners for Commerce’s countervailing duty investigation include Accuride Corp. of Evansville, Ind., and Maxion Wheels Akron of Akron, Ohio.
   Commerce is scheduled to issue its final determination for this investigation by Jan. 7.
   If Commerce makes an affirmative final determination, the U.S. International Trade Commission will make its final injury determination by Feb. 21. If Commerce makes an affirmative final determination in this investigation and the ITC makes an affirmative final injury determination, Commerce will issue a countervailing order. However, if the department makes a negative final determination, or the ITC makes a negative final determination of injury, the investigation will end and no order will be issued.