Ministry of Commerce Initiates Final Review Investigation on Anti-Dumping Measures

On July 22, 2019, the Ministry of Commerce issued the 31st Announcement of 2019, deciding to impose anti-dumping duties on imported stainless steel billets and hot-rolled stainless steel plates/coils originating from the EU, Japan, South Korea, and Indonesia starting from July 23, 2019, and accepted the price undertaking proposed by POSCO. The anti-dumping duty rates are as follows: EU companies 43.0%, Japanese companies 18.1%-29.0%, South Korean companies 23.1%-103.1%, Indonesian companies 20.2%. The implementation period for the anti-dumping duties and price undertaking is 5 years.

On November 20, 2020, the Ministry of Commerce issued the 55th Announcement of 2020, deciding to conduct a review of the dumping and dumping margin period for the anti-dumping measures applicable to the imported stainless steel billets and hot-rolled stainless steel plates/coils produced by Guangqing Nickel Industry Co., Ltd. of Indonesia. On November 18, 2021, at the request of Guangqing Nickel Industry Co., Ltd. of Indonesia, the Ministry of Commerce issued the 38th Announcement of 2021, terminating the review investigation of that period.

On January 29, 2021, the Ministry of Commerce issued the 3rd Announcement of 2021. According to the announcement, after the end of the Brexit transition period on December 31, 2020, the trade relief measures previously implemented on the EU will continue to apply to both the EU and the UK, with the implementation period unchanged; for new trade relief investigations and review cases initiated against the EU after that date, the UK will no longer be treated as a member state of the EU.

On November 9, 2023, the Ministry of Commerce issued the 46th Announcement of 2023, deciding to re-investigate the original anti-dumping case and implement the findings and recommendations of the expert group report on the dispute case of "China - Anti-Dumping Measures on Stainless Steel Products from Japan" by the World Trade Organization's dispute resolution body. On May 8, 2024, the Ministry of Commerce issued the 19th Announcement of 2024, ruling to continue the implementation of anti-dumping measures in accordance with the 31st Announcement of the Ministry of Commerce in 2019.

On April 15, 2024, the Ministry of Commerce received the final review application for anti-dumping measures submitted by Taigang Stainless Steel Co., Ltd. of Shanxi, Taigang Xinhai Stainless Steel Co., Ltd. of Shandong, and Baosteel Desheng Stainless Steel Co., Ltd. on behalf of the Chinese stainless steel industry. The applicants requested to include the UK in the scope of the countries (regions) under investigation in this review. The applicants argued that if the anti-dumping measures are terminated, the dumping of imported stainless steel billets and hot-rolled stainless steel plates/coils from the EU, the UK, South Korea, and Indonesia to China may continue or recur, and the damage to the Chinese domestic industry may continue or recur, and requested the Ministry of Commerce to conduct a final review investigation on the imported stainless steel billets and hot-rolled stainless steel plates/coils from the EU, the UK, South Korea, and Indonesia, and to maintain the anti-dumping measures implemented on the imported stainless steel billets and hot-rolled stainless steel plates/coils from the EU, the UK, South Korea, and Indonesia. The application was supported by Guangxi Beibu Gulf New Material Co., Ltd., Guangxi Beibu Gulf Metal Co., Ltd., Ansteel LianZhong (Guangzhou) Stainless Steel Co., Ltd., and the Stainless Steel Branch of Jiu Steel Group Hongxing Iron and Steel Co., Ltd. The applicants did not file a final review application for the anti-dumping measures applicable to the imported stainless steel billets and hot-rolled stainless steel plates/coils from Japan.

According to the relevant provisions of the Anti-Dumping Regulations of the People's Republic of China, the Ministry of Commerce has reviewed the qualifications of the applicants, the relevant situation of the products under investigation and the same kind of domestic products, the import situation of the products under investigation during the implementation period of the anti-dumping measures, the possibility of the continuation or recurrence of dumping, the possibility of the continuation or recurrence of damage, and other relevant evidence. The existing evidence shows that the applicants meet the provisions of Articles 11, 13, and 17 of the Anti-Dumping Regulations of the People's Republic of China regarding the industry and its representativeness, and are qualified to make the application on behalf of the Chinese stainless steel billet and hot-rolled stainless steel plate/coiling industry. The investigation authority believes that the assertions of the applicants and the prima facie evidence submitted meet the requirements for filing a final review.

According to Article 48 of the Anti-Dumping Regulations of the People's Republic of China, the Ministry of Commerce decided to start the final review investigation on the anti-dumping measures applicable to the imported stainless steel billets and hot-rolled stainless steel plates/coils originating from the EU, the UK, South Korea, and Indonesia from July 23, 2024. The relevant matters are hereby announced as follows:

Note: For more information, please refer to the official announcements by the Ministry of Commerce.