The Commerce Department announced antidumping margins of 183.36 percent and countervailing duties of 22.98–194.90 percent on Chinese firms exporting hardwood plywood to the United States.
The decision comes after the Commerce Department on Nov. 13 said it concluded hardwood plywood from China was being subsidized and dumped into the United States, hurting domestic industry.
The U.S. imported around $1.12 billion of the products from China in 2016, according to Reuters.
Preliminary countervailing duties were set in April and antidumping margins in June.
The Coalition for Fair Trade of Hardwood Plywood, whose petition sparked the Commerce Department’s investigation of Chinese plywood, was pleased with the department’s final determinations.
“Today’s Department of Commerce results show U.S. importers and purchasers of Chinese hardwood plywood that the government will no longer tolerate illegal Chinese trade practices,” said Tim Brightbill of Wiley Rein, trade counsel to the Coalition, in a statement. “We are extremely pleased with these results, which reflect the level of China’s dumping and subsidies that U.S. hardwood plywood producers have been forced to deal with for years.”
Meanwhile, the American Alliance for Hardwood Plywood, an association of American importers, distributors and manufacturers of hardwood plywood, released a statement in opposition to the duties.
“These rates are based purely on politics, not on any type of marketplace reality,” said AAHP Chairman Greg Simon. “Unfortunately, hundreds of thousands of American workers will pay the price in lost jobs. Industries including the kitchen cabinet, recreational vehicle, window and door, furniture, homebuilding and flooring industries all utilize the Chinese hardwood plywood because it is distinctly different from American hardwood plywood.”
