China Steel Wheels: AD Rates Reduced for Most in Final Determination

The International Trade Administration has issued its final affirmative antidumping duty determination on certain steel wheels from China (A-570-973), which reduces the AD rates for 12 producer exporters and maintains the China-wide AD rate of 193.54% found in the preliminary determination. This final determination, which is effective March 23, 2012, is expected to be implemented by U.S. Customs and Border Protection soon.

(ITA states in its notice that when collecting cash deposits, it will reduce some of the companies' AD rates found in this AD final determination by the respective amount determined to constitute export subsidies in this case's companion CV final determination. However, the companion CV investigation is currently in its "gap period", during which no CV duty liability exists. In past cases, the ITA has accounted for gap periods in companion CV cases by collecting the full and unadjusted AD rate determined in the AD final determination, without adjustment for export subsidies, until the effective date of the CV order (and end of the CV "gap period"), at which point adjustment of AD rates for export subsidies begins. BP is currently checking into whether this will occur in this case. See ITT's Online Archives 12032311 for summary of final determination in this case's companion CV investigation.)

Suspension of Liquidation and Critical Circumstances

The ITA continued to find that critical circumstances exist with respect to Centurion, and is instructing CBP to continue to suspend liquidation of all imports of subject merchandise exported by Centurion on or after 90 days prior to the publication date of the preliminary determination (i.e., on or about August 4, 2011).

Additionally, because the ITA found in this final determination that critical circumstances exist with respect to the China-wide entity, it is instructing CBP to suspend liquidation of all imports of subject merchandise exported by the China-wide entity on or after 90 days prior to the publication date of the preliminary determination (i.e., on or about August 4, 2011).

The ITA will direct CBP to continue to suspend liquidation of all imports of subject merchandise exported by all other respondents entered or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption on or after November 2, 2011 (the publication date of the preliminary determination).

Estimated AD Cash Deposit/Bond Rates Revised

The ITA will instruct CBP to require an AD cash deposit or the posting of a bond, for all imports of subject merchandise which were entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after March 23, 2012, equal to the following revised AD rates (potentially adjusted for export subsidies found in the companion CV final determination):

*These exporter/producer combinations qualified as separate rate respondents.

(The period of investigation is 07/01/10 -- 12/31/10. See ITA’s notice for more information, including the scope of the investigation (unchanged since the preliminary results), detailed information on the reduction of AD duties by the amount found to constitute export subsidies in the CV case, detailed instructions on cash deposit and assessment rates, changes since the preliminary determination, etc. See ITT’s Online Archives 11110210 for summary of the preliminary determination of this investigation.)

(See ITT’s Online Archives 12032033 for summary of the ITA fact sheet on this final determination, as well as the final determination in this case’s companion CV duty investigation.)

ITA Contact - Brendan Quinn (202) 482-5848