Mofcom interprets China's first double counter case: Defending rights with trade rules

BEIJING, December 11 (Xinhua): Defending rights and interests with trade rules--the Ministry of Commerce's responsible person interprets China's first "double-counter" case the Ministry of Commerce has announced a preliminary decision on the investigation of the trade relief of oriented electrical steel imported from the United States and Russia. This is China's first anti-dumping investigation of imports of products, but also for the first time to import products from a country anti-dumping, countervailing "double reverse" investigation.　　The Ministry of Commerce's Fair Trade Bureau 11th on the case related to the interpretation. According to the person in charge, the orientation of electrical steel belongs to High-tech, high value-added products, is China's urgent development of key industries, at present only Wuhan Iron and Steel (group) company and Baosteel Group Co., Ltd. can produce the product.　　Since 2008, the number of imports from the United States and Russia has increased significantly, and prices have always been low, so that the production and operation of domestic enterprises are facing serious difficulties. After the application of domestic industry, June 1, 2009, the Ministry of Commerce officially issued a notice to launch anti-dumping countervailing investigations on imported oriented electrical steel products from the United States, and launched anti-dumping investigations on the products produced in Russia.　　The anti-subsidy survey in the "Double Counter" survey surveyed 27 subsidized projects by the federal government and local governments, which included a "Buy American" program that has attracted much attention and criticism. December 10, the Ministry of Commerce issued a preliminary announcement, decided to produce from the United States and Russia import-oriented electrical steel exists dumping, and ruled that U.S. companies in the "Buy American Project" and other 4 subsidy program benefits. The dumping margin for American companies was 10.7% to 25%, with an ad valorem subsidy rate of 11.7% to 12%; the dumping margin for Russian companies was 4.6% to 25%.　　Since December 11, importers will provide the customs with corresponding security deposit when importing the oriented electrical steel produced from the United States and Russia. The official said that the Chinese investigative authorities in the investigation process in accordance with Chinese law and WTO rules, adhere to the principles of impartiality, reasonableness, procedural legitimacy and transparency, according to the law and the facts to make a preliminary determination.　　The person in charge stressed that the investigative body would make an objective and impartial final ruling according to the results of further investigation. In fact, since 2004, when Canada first launched a "double counter" survey of Chinese barbecue products, as of this November, China has been subjected to the "double counter" survey 37, for 15 consecutive years as the world's most anti-dumping investigation of the country, for 4 consecutive years to become the world's most countervailing survey of the country.　　Among them, the United States since November 2006 to China launched a "double-back" investigation of a total of 23, only 2009 since the launch of the "double Reverse" survey has 10. The person in charge said that the frequent "double counter" investigation aroused the legal consciousness of China's domestic industry, deepened their understanding of trade relief measures such as anti-dumping and countervailing duties, and under the circumstances of severe impact of imported products under dumping or subsidy and serious difficulties in production and operation, Domestic industry has begun to use legal weapons to defend its legitimate rights and interests.