The Trump administration has said it will initiate new anti-dumping and countervailing duty probe to determine whether imports of stainless steel flanges from India and China are being dumped in the US.
These investigations were initiated based on petitions filed by the Coalition of American Flange Producers and its individual members -- Core Pipe Products and Maass Flange Corporation on August 16, according to the Commerce Department.
The estimated dumping margins alleged by the petitioners range from 99.23 to 257.11 per cent and 78.49 per cent to 145.25 per cent for China and India, respectively.
"The Department will act swiftly, while assuring a full and fair assessment of the facts, to ensure that everyone trades on a level playing field," US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said as he announced initiating of anti-dumping investigations against stainless steel flanges from India and China.
"The Trump administration will defend American workers and businesses with every tool at our disposal," he said.
The unfair subsidies alleged by the petitioners are estimated to be above de minimis.
In the anti-dumping investigation, the Commerce Department will determine whether imports of stainless steel flanges from China and India are being dumped in the US market at less than fair value.
In the countervailing duty investigations, the department will determine whether Chinese and Indian producers of stainless steel flanges are receiving unfair government subsidies.
If the Commerce Department determines that stainless steel flanges from China and India are being dumped into the US market and/or receiving unfair government subsidies, and if the US International Trade Commission (ITC) determines that dumped and/or unfairly subsidised US imports of stainless steel flanges from China and India are causing injury to the US industry, it will impose duties on those imports in the amount of dumping and/or unfair subsidisation found to exist.
In 2016, imports of stainless steel flanges from China and India were valued at an estimated USD 16.3 million and USD 32.1 million, respectively.
From January 20, 2017, through September 6, 2017, the department has initiated 62 anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations - a 41 per cent increase over the previous year.
It currently maintains 407 anti-dumping and countervailing duty orders which provide relief to American companies and industries impacted by unfair trade.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
