US approves probes against Chinese tires

Washington, July 23 (IANS) The US International Trade Commission (USITC) Tuesday approved the anti-dumping and countervailing duties investigations against imports of certain passenger vehicle and light truck tires from China.

USITC's all six commissioners voted in the affirmative, saying, "there is a reasonable indication that a US industry is materially injured by reason of imports of certain passenger vehicle and light truck tires from China that are allegedly subsidized and sold in the United States at less than fair value", Xinhua reported.

As a result of the commission's affirmative determinations, the US Commerce Department will continue the probes and is expected to make preliminary countervailing and antidumping duty determinations in August and November separately.

The US Commerce Department launched the anti-dumping and countervailing duties probes July 15 at the request of two US labour organisations United Steelworkers and AFL-CIO-CLC.

They alleged that these products from China were sold below the fair value of the products in the US market with dumping margin of 45.80-87.99 percent, and Chinese producers and exporters also received improper government subsidies.

Imports of these products from China were estimated at about $2.1 billion last year, according to official US data.