The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) has affirmed its determination that certain passenger and light truck tires imported from China have benefited from market-distorting moves and unfair subsidies. The DOC has calculated subsidy rates for the affected tire manufacturers, and in nearly every instance both the anti-dumping and countervailing duty rates calculated are now higher than those originally proposed in the DOC's preliminary ruling.
Here are the final rates:
| Preliminary Anti-dumping % | Final Anti-dumping % | |
| Sailun Group Co. Ltd. | 18.58 | 14.35 |
| GITI Tire Global Trading Pte. Ltd | 19.17 | 29.97 |
| Separate rate companies *(See list below) | 18.99 | 25.30 |
| Others | 87.99 | 87.99 |
| Preliminary Countervailing % | Final Countervailing % | |
| Cooper Kunshan Tire Co. Ltd. | 12.5 | 20.73 |
| GITI Tire (Fujian) Co. Ltd. | 11.74 | 37.20 |
| Shandong Yongsheng Rubber Group Co. Ltd. | 81.19 | 100.77 |
| All others | 12.03 | 30.87 |
The DOC says dumping occurs when a foreign company sells a product in the U.S. at a price lower than its fair value. Countervailing subsidies are when a foreign government provides financial assistance to benefit the production of goods in that country.
As part of its months-long countervailing investigation, the DOC says it determined "critical circumstances" exist for GITI, Yongsheng and all other producers and exporters. "'Critical circumstances' are found if Commerce determines that (1) there has been a surge in imports over a relatively short period of time subsequent to the filing of the petition and (2) importers knew, or should have known, that subsidization and/or dumping and injury were occuring.
"Companies which Commerce determined that critical circumstances exist will be subject to a 90-day retroactive suspension of liquidation."
In its anti-dumping investigation, DOC says it determined 'critical circumstances' only existed with the 'Others' group listed in Modern Tire Dealer's above chart.
What it means:
Passenger and light truck tires imported from China are subject to both the anti-dumping and countervailing duties, plus the existing 4% tariff on all consumer tires from China. Here's a couple of scenarios:
GITI: 29.97 + 37.20 + 4 = 71.17% tariff
Cooper: 25.30 + 20.73 + 4 = 50.03% tariff
And still, even though the DOC and International Trade Administration (ITA) refer to its June 12, 2015, determination as final, there are a couple more steps in the process.
Here's what's next:
- The separate International Trade Commission (ITC) will make its own final determination of anti-dumping and countervailing duties. That decision is scheduled for July 27, 2015.
- If the ITC also makes an affirmative final determination, then the DOC will formally issue anti-dumping and countervailing tariff orders. If the ITC makes a negative determination, the investigations will be terminated.
- If the ITC matches the ITA's affirmative finding, these tariffs are locked in for at least five years, when the law would require a review to see if the dumping/subsidies are likely to resume or continue if the orders were dropped.
*Exporters in the 'Separate rate companies' categories of the anti-dumping ruling:
Cooper Tire & Rubber Co.
Cooper Chengshan (Shandong) Tire Co. Ltd.
Cooper (Kunshan) Tire Co. Ltd.
Best Choice International Trade Co. Ltd.
Bridgestone (Wuxi) Tire Co. Ltd.
Bridgestone Corp.
Cheng Shin Tire & Rubber (China) Co. Ltd.
Crown International Corp.
Goodyear Dalian Tire Company Ltd.
Guangzhou Pearl River Rubber Tyre Ltd.
Hankook Tire China Co. Ltd.
Hebei Tianrui Rubber Co. Ltd.
Highpoint Trading Ltd.
Hong Kong Tiancheng Investment & Trading Co. Ltd.
Hong Kong Tri-Ace Tire Co., Ltd.
Hwa Fong Rubber (Hong Kong) Ltd.
Jiangsu Hankook Tire Co. Ltd.
Kenda Rubber (China) Co. Ltd.
Kumho Tire Co. Inc.
Mayrun Tyre (Hong Kong) Ltd.
Nankang (Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone) Rubber Industrial Co. Ltd.
Pirelli Tyre Co. Ltd.
Qingdao Crown Chemical Co. Ltd.
Qingdao Free Trade Zone Full-World International Trading Co. Ltd.
Qingdao Fullrun Tyre Corp. Ltd
Qingdao Fullrun Tyre Tech Corp. Ltd.
Qingdao Honghua Tyre Factory
Qingdao Nama Industrial Co. Ltd.
Qingdao Nexen Tire Corp.
Qingdao Odyking Tyre Co. Ltd.
Qingdao Qianzhen Tyre Co. Ltd.
Qingdao Qihang Tyre Co. Ltd.
Qingdao Qizhou Rubber Co. Ltd.
Qingdao Sentury Tire Co. Ltd.
Shandong Anchi Tyres Co. Ltd.
Shandong Changfeng Tyres Co. Ltd.
Shandong Duratti Rubber Corporation Co. Ltd.
Shandong Guofeng Rubber Plastics Co. Ltd.
Shandong Haohua Tire Co. Ltd.
Shandong Haolong Rubber Tire Co. Ltd.
Shandong Hawk International Rubber Industry Co. Ltd.
Shandong Hengyu Science & Technology Co. Ltd.
Shandong Huitong Tyre Co. Ltd.
Shandong Linglong Tyre Co. Ltd.
Shandong Longyue Rubber Co. Ltd.
Shandong New Continent Tire Co. Ltd.
Shandong Province Sanli Tire Manufactured Co. Ltd.
Shandong Shuangwang Rubber Co. Ltd.
Shandong Wanda Boto Tyre Co. Ltd.
Shandong Yongtai Chemical Co. Ltd.
Shandong Zhongyi Rubber Co. Ltd.
Shengtai Group Co. Ltd.
Shifeng Juxing Tire Co. Ltd.
Shouguang Firemax Tyre Co. Ltd.
Southeast Mariner International Co. Ltd.
Techking Tires Ltd.
Toyo Tire (Zhangjiagang) Co. Ltd.
Triangle Tyre Co. Ltd.
Tyrechamp Group Co. Ltd.
Weihai Ping’an Tyre Co. Ltd.
Weihai Zhongwei Rubber Co. Ltd.
Wendeng Sanfeng Tyre Co. Ltd.
Winrun Tyre Co. Ltd.
Zenith Holdings (HK) Ltd.
Zhaoqing Junhong Co. Ltd.
