US’ new tariffs on tin mill steel unfairly target China, ‘in violation of WTO rules’
Channel: SK NEWS
Date: 2023-08-19

US’ new tariffs on tin mill steel unfairly target China, ‘in violation of WTO rules’
The US' announcement of preliminary anti-dumping duties on tin-plated steel imports from three countries based on a single firm's petition unfairly targets China, with a substantially higher tariff rate on its imports, which is likely in violation of WTO rules, Chinese analysts said on Friday.

The latest unilateral and protectionist move from the US government came even as US authorities selectively cited a recent WTO report on Chinese counter tariffs against the US' so-called Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum in criticizing China, laying bare the US' hypocrisy and double standards when it comes to international trade rules, analysts noted, adding that such moves will further disrupt global supply chains while damaging the US' own interests.

The US Department of Commerce on Thursday local time announced that it will impose preliminary anti-dumping duties on tin-plated steel imports from China, Canada and Germany, citing a single petition, according to Reuters. In February, a single US steelmaker, Cleveland-Cliffs, initiated a petition and alleged foreign dumping in the tin-plate sector, which has seen several US production facilities close in recent years, according to the report.

While the move appears to cover imports from three countries, China is apparently the main target, as the highest tariff rate was imposed on Chinese exports. The US Commerce Department said the highest preliminary anti-dumping duties of 122.5 percent will be imposed on tin mill steel imported from China, including the country's largest producer, Baoshan Iron and Steel. In stark comparison, imports from Germany will face a tariff rate of 7.02 percent, while those from Canada face a 5.29 percent tariff.

A US Commerce Department official said that China's rates were higher because a lack of cooperation from a major producer in the investigation led to an "adverse inference" determination, while other respondents could not prove that they were independent of the Chinese government.

It is worth noting that the US imports about 14 percent from China, while Canada and Germany together account for about 30 percent, according to data from the US Commerce Department.

Despite the relatively small amount of imports from China, it bears the heaviest anti-dumping punishment, a tax rate as high as 122.5 percent, ten times the combined rate of the other two countries. "This not only goes beyond the scope of competitive anti-dumping investigations but actually violates the principles of free trade, fair competition, and equal negotiation under the WTO," Chen Jia, an independent analyst on global strategy, told the Global Times on Friday.

The steel and aluminum tariffs imposed by the US, as well as the heavy tariffs on tin-plated steel specifically targeting China, are a violation of global trade rules and undermine the principles of the WTO, Chen said.
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