U.S. Oks Trade Probes On Some Imports From South Korea, China
A U.S. trade panel on Friday authorized investigations that could lead to steep import duties on more than $1 billion of washing machines from South Korea and Mexico and more than $150 million of wind vitality towers from China and Vietnam.
The U.S. intercontinental trade Commission agreed there was sensible proof that imports from 4 nations have been harming domestic producers. That permitted the U.S. Commerce department to continue investigations previously underway.
The trade panel also authorized a 3rd probe on metal cable garment hangers from Taiwan and Vietnam.
In each case, the Commerce department will set preliminary duty ranges in coming months. The ITC should vote its approval again for last duties to take force.
The wind tower situation adds to some raft of U.S.-China trade frictions ahead of a visit by China's in all probability up coming leader, Vice President Xi Jinping, to Washington up coming week.
WHIRLPOOL inside of a LATHER
Century-old American manufacturer Whirlpool has accused South Korean rivals Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics of offering washers with the United States at prices 31 % to 82 % below reasonable industry value.
It also says washing machines imported from Mexico undercut U.S. prices by 27 % to 72 percent.
South Korea's federal government has protested the probe, which follows a comparable investigation requested by Whirlpool that previously has led to U.S. duties on refrigerator imports from South Korea and Mexico involving precisely the same manufacturers.
The ITC vote "validates the actions we've used to protect the U.S. domestic appliance industry, our 23,000 U.S. workforce as nicely as the neighborhoods by which they work," Whirlpool spokeswoman Kristine Vernier mentioned inside of a statement.
LG mentioned it might aggressively battle the situation as it moves toward the last ITC vote after this year.
"LG appears forward to the opportunity to display why imports from LG, a major innovator with the washer equipment industry, have in no method injured Whirlpool," mentioned Chris Jung, president belonging to the home appliance unit of LG Electronics USA.
U.S. washing equipment imports from South Korea and Mexico have been an estimated $659.1 million and $450.2 million, respectively, in 2010, according to the Commerce Department.
U.S.-CHINA clear vitality trade FRICTION
Meanwhile, the Wind Tower trade Coalition, a team of U.S. producers, alleges China undercuts U.S. wind tower prices by more than 200 % and Vietnam undercuts U.S. prices by more than 140 percent.
The towers, used in large-scale wind farms, can stretch more than 100 meters (300 feet) with the air. They support the blades and housing for wind turbines.
China has warned the wind tower case, along with a separate U.S. investigation targeting Chinese-made pv panels, could harm bilateral cooperation with the clear vitality sector.
German manufacturing giant Siemens, which imports several wind towers from Asia, also opposes the duties.
"Domestic suppliers have proved on their own unreliable and unwilling generally to supply supply," Christopher Hauer, director of Siemens tower operations with the United States, told the ITC last month.
The United States imported an estimated $103.6 million and $51.9 million belonging to the towers from China and Vietnam, respectively, in 2010.
Friday's vote arrived shortly soon after new information showed all round U.S. imports grew practically 14 % in 2011 to some record $2.66 billion. Periods of rapidly rising imports generally lead to more trade situations being filed.
The U.S. intercontinental trade Commission agreed there was sensible proof that imports from 4 nations have been harming domestic producers. That permitted the U.S. Commerce department to continue investigations previously underway.
The trade panel also authorized a 3rd probe on metal cable garment hangers from Taiwan and Vietnam.
In each case, the Commerce department will set preliminary duty ranges in coming months. The ITC should vote its approval again for last duties to take force.
The wind tower situation adds to some raft of U.S.-China trade frictions ahead of a visit by China's in all probability up coming leader, Vice President Xi Jinping, to Washington up coming week.
WHIRLPOOL inside of a LATHER
Century-old American manufacturer Whirlpool has accused South Korean rivals Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics of offering washers with the United States at prices 31 % to 82 % below reasonable industry value.
It also says washing machines imported from Mexico undercut U.S. prices by 27 % to 72 percent.
South Korea's federal government has protested the probe, which follows a comparable investigation requested by Whirlpool that previously has led to U.S. duties on refrigerator imports from South Korea and Mexico involving precisely the same manufacturers.
The ITC vote "validates the actions we've used to protect the U.S. domestic appliance industry, our 23,000 U.S. workforce as nicely as the neighborhoods by which they work," Whirlpool spokeswoman Kristine Vernier mentioned inside of a statement.
LG mentioned it might aggressively battle the situation as it moves toward the last ITC vote after this year.
"LG appears forward to the opportunity to display why imports from LG, a major innovator with the washer equipment industry, have in no method injured Whirlpool," mentioned Chris Jung, president belonging to the home appliance unit of LG Electronics USA.
U.S. washing equipment imports from South Korea and Mexico have been an estimated $659.1 million and $450.2 million, respectively, in 2010, according to the Commerce Department.
U.S.-CHINA clear vitality trade FRICTION
Meanwhile, the Wind Tower trade Coalition, a team of U.S. producers, alleges China undercuts U.S. wind tower prices by more than 200 % and Vietnam undercuts U.S. prices by more than 140 percent.
The towers, used in large-scale wind farms, can stretch more than 100 meters (300 feet) with the air. They support the blades and housing for wind turbines.
China has warned the wind tower case, along with a separate U.S. investigation targeting Chinese-made pv panels, could harm bilateral cooperation with the clear vitality sector.
German manufacturing giant Siemens, which imports several wind towers from Asia, also opposes the duties.
"Domestic suppliers have proved on their own unreliable and unwilling generally to supply supply," Christopher Hauer, director of Siemens tower operations with the United States, told the ITC last month.
The United States imported an estimated $103.6 million and $51.9 million belonging to the towers from China and Vietnam, respectively, in 2010.
Friday's vote arrived shortly soon after new information showed all round U.S. imports grew practically 14 % in 2011 to some record $2.66 billion. Periods of rapidly rising imports generally lead to more trade situations being filed.
