U.S. antidumping investigations for Chinese truck tires

The Commerce Department has started antidumping and countervailing duty investigations into imports of pneumatic truck and bus tires from China.

   The Commerce Department on Friday said it has started antidumping and countervailing duty investigations into imports of truck and bus tires from China.
   Dumping occurs when a foreign company sells a product in the United States at less than fair value, while countervailable subsidies are financial assistance from foreign governments that benefit domestic manufacturers and are contingent on their export performance or use of domestic inputs over imported matertials.
   Commerce’s investigation will cover pneumatic or air-filled rubber truck and bus tires.
   The investigation was initiated at the request of petitioner United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union in Pittsburgh.
   In 2015, imports of truck and bus tires from China were valued at about $1.07 billion, according to Commerce.
   Meanwhile, the U.S. International Trade Commission is scheduled to make its preliminary injury determination for this investigation by March 14. If the ITC determines there is a “reasonable indication” these truck and bus tire imports from China harm the U.S. truck and bus tire industry, the investigations will continue and Commerce will be scheduled to make its preliminary countervailing duty determination in April, followed by its preliminary antidumping determination in July. If the ITC’s preliminary determination is negative, the investigations will be terminated.
   The ITC on Friday also said there is a reasonable indication that U.S. manufacturers of off-the-road tires are harmed by imports from India, which are allegedly sold at less than fair value and subsidized by the governments of India and Sri Lanka. However, the commission found that these same imports from China are “negligible.”
   As a result of the ITC’s affirmative determinations, Commerce will continue to conduct its investigations into imports of these products from India and Sri Lanka, with its preliminary countervailing duty determinations due by April 4 and its preliminary antidumping duty determinations due by June 16. As a result of the ITC’s finding of negligibility, the investigations on imports of off-the-road tires from China will end.