China slaps anti-dumping duties on plastic imports from US, EU, Japan

This combination image of two pictures shows US President Donald Trump in Miami, Florida and China’s President Xi Jinping in Beijing. China has slapped duties on imported plastics from the United States, European Union, Taiwan and Japan.— Photo by Agence France-Presse

BEIJING, China – China slapped duties of up to 75 percent on imports of plastics from the United States, European Union, Taiwan and Japan on Monday, following an investigation into alleged dumping, Beijing’s commerce ministry said.

The new duties target imports of polyformaldehyde copolymer, a common plastic used in car parts, medical devices and household appliances.

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The levies will range from 3.8 percent to 74.9 percent, the commerce ministry said on Sunday, adding they would come into force the following day.

The new duties come just a few days after the United States and China slashed sweeping tariffs on each others’ goods for 90 days — a temporary de-escalation in a brutal trade war that has roiled global markets and international supply chains.

Beijing has frequently launched anti-dumping investigations against countries with which it has broader trade disputes.

In April, it slapped anti-dumping measures on EU brandy, hitting France’s export-reliant cognac industry.