China questions US decision to levy heavy duties on Chinese products

BEIJING - China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC) on Friday questioned the US ruling to levy heavy duties on several Chinese products and vowed to take necessary measures to protect the rights of Chinese companies.

The US Department of Commerce decided Wednesday to impose anti-dumping duties of 162.47 percent for imports of amorphous silica fabric, 68.27 percent for carbon and alloy steel and 493.46 percent for ammonium sulfate from China.

The commerce department also set final anti-subsidy duties ranging between 48.94 percent and 165.39 percent for imports of amorphous silica fabric, 251 percent for carbon and alloy steel, and 206.72 percent for ammonium sulfate from China.

MOC trade official Wang Hejun said that China questioned the US decision and investigation procedures on the three products, and the US authorities had ignored the evidence submitted by Chinese enterprises and deprived them of a right of defense.

He said that the United States had abused trade remedy measures regardless of trade rules, and that China was gravely concerned, adding that Chinese companies in the industries were strongly dissatisfied with the decision.

Wang urged the United States to abide by the World Trade Organization rules, strictly follow the investigation procedures and take trade remedy measures in a prudent, reasonable and restrained way.