US trims import duty rates on three Chinese tire companies

Washington – The US Department of Commerce has made minor downward revisions in countervailing duties on three companies exporting Chinese passenger and light truck tires to the US after finding errors in its earlier calculations.

The minor revisions affect countervailing duty rates for a period of review from 1 Dec, 2014, to 31 Dec, 2015. on three companies: GITI Tire Global Trading Pte. Ltd (and several allied firms), Cooper (Kunshan) Tire Co. Ltd, and Zhongce Rubber Group Co. Ltd.

On 28 March, GITI filed a petition with Commerce, claiming the agency made ministerial errors in calculating the duties. Specifically, GITI said Commerce had miscalculated the sales denominator for GITI Tire Global Investment; miscalculated government grants to GITI and others; and misapplied the Adverse Facts Available Rate to the Export Buyer's Credits programme.

Commerce found that it had committed those errors and announced 2 May in the Federal Register the following revised rates:

• GITI: 15.75% vs. 20.68% previously;
• Cooper: 15.1% vs. 16.16%;
• Zhongce: 114.48% vs. 119.46%; and
• Non-selected companies under review: 15.53% vs. 19.13%