China's trade association to appeal against US tire duties

Beijing – The China Rubber Industry Association (CRIA) is to organise an appeal by domestic tire makers against the recent US decision to impose heavy anti-dumping duties on passenger and light truck tires imported from China.

“To issue such high duty rates would impair China's tire manufacturing sector as well as harm the interests of American consumers,” said a CRIA announcement issued on 22 Jan.

CRIA stated that the decision by the US Department of Commerce was based on an investigation which did not involve any US company claiming for damage compensation against overseas firms.

This, the statement said, is "unheard of in Sino-US trade relations."

"Over the past three years US tire manufacturers registered over $3.8 billion (€3.3bn) of profit, and no damage was caused to the industry by China's tire export," added CRIA.

CRIA said a research on 46 of its tire maker members – covering various contributing factors including the US tariffs – showed that tire production of the companies dropped 17 percent year-on-year in January 2015 compared to the same period the previous year.