US postpones China truck and bus tire dumping probe

Washington – The US Department of Commerce has postponed its preliminary countervailing duty determination in its investigation of truck and bus tires imported from China.

The new date for its countervailing duty determination is 22 June, moved from the original date of 25 April 25, according to a 31 March Federal Register notice from the Commerce Department’s International Trade Commission.

The United Steelworkers union, which petitioned the International Trade Commission 29 Jan for antidumping and countervailing duty investigations of Chinese truck and bus tires, requested the postponement.

According to Commerce, the USW said the Chinese subsidy programs under review were too complex and numerous to allow a countervailing duty determination by 25 April.

The postponement moves the countervailing duty determination closer to the 7 July deadline for Commerce’s preliminary antidumping duty determination. There was no word, however, on whether this was a reason for the USW’s request.

Commerce began its preliminary investigation of Chinese truck and bus tires 18 Feb. On 11 March, the ITC voted 4-2 that there was sufficient evidence of material injury to the domestic truck and bus tire industry to continue the investigation.