South Africa imposes provisional duties on tires from Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia

Pretoria – South Africa’s International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) has imposed provisional anti-dumping duties on tires from Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia, after a preliminary finding that Chinese producers are circumventing existing duties through the three countries.

The probe followed a September 2024 petition by the South African Tyre Manufacturers Conference (SATMC), which alleged that Chinese tire makers — already subject to anti-dumping duties — were rerouting exports via Southeast Asia.

Circumvention, said ITAC in its 2 June finding, refers to actions by exporters to bypass duties that have been legally imposed to counter unfair trade practices.

The duties apply to new pneumatic tires used on “motor cars, bakkies, buses, small pick-up trucks and lorries.”

ITAC’s preliminary determination found that “circumvention in the form of country hopping is taking place via Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam.”

Companies identified include Sentury Thailand, Huayi Group Thailand, Prinx Chengshan Thailand, Linglong Thailand, General Rubber Thailand and Sailun Vietnam.

Vietnam Cofo, Firemax Cambodia and Haohua Cambodia are excluded from the anti-circumvention review.

According to ITAC, the domestic tire manufacturing industry in the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) is experiencing material injury due to the dumped imports.

Provisional duties will apply for six months, pending the outcome of the full investigation.