BEIJING: The European Union has imposed definitive anti-dumping duties on Chinese imports of stainless steel tubes and pipe butt-welding fittings to protect its industry from steel overcapacity. In a notice published in the official journal on Friday, the European Commission said it was imposing definitive anti-dumping duties after an investigation on a number of Chinese and Taiwanese companies ranging from 5.1 percent to 64.9 percent. King Lai Hygienic Materials Co. will face an import duty of 5.1 percent on its imports to the EU while Zhejiang Good Fittings Co. will face a more hefty duty of 55.3 percent.
China’s Commerce Ministry said it had “serious doubts” about the decision, which had severely harmed the interests of Chinese companies, adding such hasty protectionist moves would only damage global trade. “China is willing to strengthen exchanges and communication with the EU side, to appropriately resolve the issues facing the steel industry at the moment,” it said. The EU has imposed duties on a wide range of steel grades after investigations over the past few years to counter what EU steel producers say is a flood of steel sold at a loss due to Chinese overcapacity. The EU has imposed anti-dumping duties on several Chinese steel products such as cold-rolled flat steel and stainless steel cold-rolled flat products. It has also opened investigations into Chinese imports of heavy plate, hot-rolled, iron or steel seamless pipes.
