China's Qihang, TUTRIC seek relief from import duties

NEW YORK — Two more Chinese OTR tire makers have filed documents with the U.S. Court of International Trade pertaining to the U.S. Department of Commerce's revamped antidumping and countervailing duties against them for the 2014-2015 review period.

The two companies are Qingdao Qihang Tyre Co. Ltd. and Tianjin United Tire & Rubber International Co. Ltd. (TUTRIC)

These filings bring to seven the number of Chinese OTR tire companies that have filed claims with the CIT seeking redress.

Qingdao-based Qingdao Qihang Tyre — producer of Roadguider-, Forerunner-, Superguider- and Safeguard-brand tires — is asking the court to remand Commerce's determination, instruct Commerce to recalculate its dumping duty rate and "provide such other relief" as the court deems just and proper.

Qingao Qihang was assessed a duty rate that was based on the weighted average dumping rate found by the Department for the mandatory respondent, Xuzhou Xugong Tyres Co. Ltd., which it contends was not supported by substantial evidence on the record and is otherwise contrary to law.

Tianjin-based TUTRIC, which goes to market under the Tianli brand, filed paperwork with the CIT, but, as yet, not a complaint.

The other Chinese OTR tire makers that have filed complaints are: Aeolus Tyre Co. Ltd., Guizhou Tyre Co. Ltd., Qingdao Free Trade Zone Full-World International Trading Co. Ltd., Trelleborg Wheel Systems (Xingtai) Co. Ltd. and Xuzhou Xugong Tyres Co. Ltd.

All of the appeals were filed within the 30-day deadline after the publication of the Commerce decisions in the Federal Register.

The agency released the results of its countervailing duty review for calendar year 2014 on April 18, and the results of its antidumping duty review for Sept. 1, 2014 through Aug. 31, 2015 on April 21.

In those determinations, Commerce revised countervailing duties during the period to between 34.46 and 46.01 percent, and antidumping duties to between 33.08 and 105.31 percent.

Ironically, Commerce's revised, elevated duty determiniations were in response to petitions by the Chinese companies themselves seeking relief.

The original case started in 2007, when Titan International Inc. joined with the United Steelworkers to petition for relief from Chinese OTR imports with the International Trade Commission.