China Hits Back at EU in Trade Spat

Beijing. China on Wednesday slapped antidumping duties on imports of steel fasteners from the European Union, just a day after the EU formally voted to extend import duties on shoes from China and Vietnam.

A review found that Chinese producers of certain types of fasteners, including screws and washers, had been materially injured by dumping by EU companies, the Ministry of Commerce said in a statement.

“We see this as a good thing, and support the government,” said Feng Jinyao, head of the China Fastener Association, which is fighting European duties on Chinese fasteners imposed late last year.

“We believe EU-made screws always hurt us and affect the development of Chinese domestic manufacturing capacity. Because of them, we’re unable to make these products.”

The antidumping duties, ranging from 16.8 percent for those made by KAMAX-Werke Rudolf Kellermann to 24.6 percent for all other manufacturers, will be enforced starting on Monday.

China has been involved in a tussle with the EU over fasteners this year, just one of a series of trade complaints lodged against Beijing by its trading partners. It has become more willing to match actions against its products by trading partners with its own investigations of their exports.

The EU imposed its own anti-dumping duties on some Chinese-made screws and bolts in January, a decision that China later challenged at the World Trade Organization.

As well as shoes, the United States has complained about China dumping tires and China lost a WTO appeal against a ruling that orders Beijing to free up distribution of US films, music and books.

The WTO this week upheld an initial August ruling that China was breaching international trade commitments by blocking foreign-owned companies from acting as importers and wholesalers of films.

China has grown more ready to bring cases of its own to the WTO, something many analysts say is a healthy sign it is becoming a more active member of the trade body.

In the latest instance of trade tensions, EU ministers voted on Tuesday to extend import duties on shoes from China and Vietnam by 15 months, despite a vote on Nov. 19 by the EU’s antidumping committee to reject plans to extend the tariffs.

China said it was unhappy with the decision and would take action via the WTO.



Reuters

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