Beijing challenges EU anti-dumping duties on TBR tires

Beijing – The Chinese government is challenging a decision by the European Commission to impose heavy anti-dumping duties on imported Chinese truck and bus tires.

In an 11 May report, the local news website GB Times said the Chinese ministry of commerce (MOC) had claimed that the EC had “artificially raised the dumping margins”.

This, it said, was done in a “surrogate country approach”, which uses the cost of production in a third country to calculate the value of Chinese products.

"We urge the European side to fully implement its obligations under Article 15 of the Protocol on China’s Accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and treat Chinese companies fairly during anti-dumping investigations," said MOC spokesman Gao Feng.

Article 15, said GB Times, requires all WTO members to stop using surrogate country approach during anti-dumping investigations into Chinese companies as of 11 Dec 2016.

As reported by ERJ, on 4 May the EC issued details of the provisional anti-dumping duties of up to 166.7% on a number of imported Chinese TBR tires.

Xingyuan Group and ChemChina-owned Aeolus Group were hit with the highest duties of 166.7% and 151.2%. Other named companies Giti Group and Hankook Group received 98,7% and 80.4% duties respectively.

The move follows an investigation launched on 11 Aug, 2017 in response to a complaint by EU producers of new and retreaded TBR tires. It covered a period from 1 Jan 2014 to 30 June 2017.