China imposes anti-dumping duties on two EU and US chemical solvents

BEIJING, CHINA: China has imposed anti-dumping duties on European and US exporters of two chemical solvents. The US and the EU have relied increasingly on anti-dumping and countervailing duty laws in recent years to halt what they say are unfairly priced and subsidized imports from China, the world’s second-largest economy. China has stepped up its own use trade remedies in the face of what it decries as rising trade protectionism on products ranging from ceramic plates to solar panels.

The five-year anti-dumping duties on glycol and diethylene glycol, widely used solvents imported from Europe and the US, will come into effect from 28 January 2013. The duties range from 9.3 to 18.8 per cent on companies such as Eastman Chemical Company, Equistar Chemicals, LP ACCECE from the United States, and BASF SE from Europe.

The US Commerce Department earlier in January set preliminary duties ranging up to 154 per cent on imports of a food additive and thickening agent from China, and Austria, to offset what it said were unfairly low prices.

© Reuters News