ITC determines Chinese aluminum hurts U.S. industry

In the first government self-initiated AD/CVD case since 1985, the ITC voted 5-0 that imports of common alloy aluminum sheet from China materially injure U.S. industry.    The International Trade Commission (ITC) on Friday by a vote of 5-0 determined that imports of common alloy aluminum sheet from China materially injure U.S. industry, handing the Trump administration a major win in the first antidumping and countervailing duty cases self-initiated by the U.S. government in more than 30 years.
   The period of investigation for the CV duty case was the full year of 2016 and for the AD duty case was April 1 to Sept. 30, 2017.
   As a result of the ITC’s affirmative determinations of dumping and subsidization, the Commerce Department will issue AD and CV duty orders on these imports.
   The ITC made negative findings regarding critical circumstances concerning these imports, so imports of common alloy aluminum sheet from China won’t be subject to retroactive antidumping or countervailing duties, the ITC announced.
   In its affirmative AD and CV duty determinations issued in November, Commerce found that Chinese exporters have sold common alloy aluminum sheet to the U.S. at rates ranging from 49.85 percent to 59.72 percent less than fair value, while Commerce’s CV determination indicates that China provided countervailable subsidies to producers at rates ranging from 46.48 percent to 116.49 percent.  
   “The Department of Commerce will not stand idly by while products are illicitly forced upon U.S. markets,” Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said in a statement. “I applaud the International Trade Commission for this determination in holding bad actors accountable for their actions on the international stage.”
   The ITC expects to publish its report on these cases by Jan. 11.
   Imports of common alloy aluminum sheet from China in 2017 totaled an estimated $900 million.