Commerce: Chinese ironing tables dumped on U.S. market

Commerce: Chinese ironing tables dumped on U.S. market    The U.S. Commerce Department has ruled that Chinese-made ironing tables are being dumped on the American market.
   The department released a final determination Wednesday that stated dumping margins for Chinese producers and exporters of ironing tables ranged from 6.6 percent to 113.80 percent.
   Dumping is the import of goods at a price below the domestic market or a third-country price, or below the cost of production. A dumping margin represents how much the fair-value price exceeds the dumped price.
   The department said imposition of antidumping duties requires a final affirmative determination that dumping occurred. The U.S. International Trade Commission must also determine that these imports hurt or threatened domestic industry.
   The ITC is expected to make its final determination in late July. If the ITC makes an affirmative determination, the Commerce Department will issue an antidumping order and instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to collect cash deposits for antidumping duties. If the ITC’s determination comes up negative, the department will drop the investigation.
   According to the Commerce Department, U.S. imports of Chinese iron tables amounted to about $673 million in 2003, and $713 million in 2002.