 | China condemns US trade action |
11/6/2009 6:43:30 AM
China has described as protectionist new US anti-dumping duties on steel pipes and called for Washington's swift recognition that it is a market economy.
The US imposed on Thursday preliminary anti-dumping duties ranging up to 99 per cent on $2.63bn in Chinese-made pipes used in the oil and gas industry, in the biggest US trade action against China to date.
The Chinese commerce department issued its preliminary decision on Friday, a week before Barack Obama, the US president, heads to Asia on a trip that includes stops in Shanghai and Beijing.
It follows countervailing duties on the same product, announced in September.
"China resolutely opposes the abuse of protectionist measures, and will take measures to protect the interests of our domestic industry," the ministry said on its website.
"We hope that the US will set aside its biases and as quickly as possible recognise China's market economic status, thoroughly overcoming its double standards and giving equal and fair treatment to Chinese firms."
Market economy
In trade meetings with US officials last week in Hangzhou, the Chinese side pressed for recognition as a market economy, before the 2016 deadline negotiated when it entered the World Trade Organisation.
That would make it harder for the US in future to rule in favour of such duties.
Washington promised to set up a panel to consider the issue.
"The US should give objective consideration to the fact that the fundamental problem of the concerned US industries is the fall in consumption demand brought on by the financial crisis, and thereby make a just, fair and reasonable final determination" on the steel pipe duties, the Chinese commerce ministry said.
As long as China has no recognition as a market economy, trade partners can compare its products to those of other nations with different cost structures for labour or transport, when assessing whether products have been dumped.
Margins squeezed
Export-dependent Chinese industries are dominated by private firms, which cut margins to the bone by competing with each other at home and for export markets.
Entrepreneurs pile into any promising industry, creating overcapacity that destroys profits.
Pipes that can carry highly corrosive oil and natural gas presented a new opportunity for Chinese steel processors moving up the value chain.
Exports to the US, their biggest market, tripled to $2.63bn in 2008 compared with 2007.
Similar trade disputes have piled up as the global economic crisis increased competition with US manufacturers.
China is particularly upset over first US use of safeguard duties, against tyres, because safeguard duties only have to show a surge in exports, without proving dumping or subsidies.
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