US to impose anti-dumping duties on steel wire from China

The United States will impose anti-dumping duties on steel wire from China and Mexico, the U.S. trade authority said Tuesday.

The U.S. industry is "materially injured" by imports of prestressed concrete steel rail tie wire (PC tie wire) from China and Mexico that "the U.S. Department of Commerce has determined are sold in the United States at less than fair value," the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) said in a final ruling.

All of the six-member commission voted in the affirmative. "As a result of the USITC's affirmative determinations, anti-dumping duty orders will be issued on imports of this product from China and Mexico," the bipartisan trade panel said.

The Commerce Department launched the investigation last year, in response to the petition filed by the Insteel Wire Products Company based in North Carolina and Davis Wire Corporation based in Washington, which alleged that exporters and producers in China, Mexico and Thailand sold these products in the U.S. market at lower prices.

Under the Commerce Department's ruling, Chinese and Mexican producers and exporters that have sold PC tie wire in the U.S. market would have to face anti-dumping duties ranging from 31.40 percent to 35.31 percent and 9.99 percent respectively.

The United States imported an estimated 31.1 million U.S. dollars worth of PC tie wire from China last year, according to the Commerce Department.

PC tie wire is a high carbon steel wire suitable for use as prestressed tendons in the construction of railroad ties.

China has repeatedly urged Washington to abide by its commitment against protectionism and work with China and other countries to maintain a free, open and just trade environment.