US extends antidumping duties on Chinese graphite electrodes

A U.S. trade panel voted Wednesday to extend antidumping duties on small diameter graphite electrodes from China after the first five-year review of the measures imposed initially in 2009. The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) voted against revoking the existing duty orders on small diameter graphite electrodes from China, with a nominal or actual diameter of 400 millimeters or less, saying it "would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time." The U.S. Commerce Department is required to remove an antidumping or countervailing duty order, or terminate a suspension agreement, after five years unless the department and the USITC vote against it, according to the Uruguay Round Agreements Act. The United States initially issued antidumping duty orders on imports of small diameter graphite electrodes from China in 2009. The Commerce Department agreed to institute the first five-year review of the measures early this year and later determined that revocation of the existing duty orders on small diameter graphite electrodes from China would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping, with the dumping margin of 132.9 percent to 159.64 percent. The USITC voted to conduct expedited reviews of the existing duties on Chinese small diameter graphite electrodes last month. Beijing has repeatedly urged Washington to honor its commitment against protectionism and work with China to maintain a free, open and just trade environment.