
China slaps anti-dumping duties on plastics from US, EU, Japan, Taiwan
BEIJING: China on Sunday announced anti-dumping duties as high as 74.9% on imports of POM copolymers, a type of engineering plastic, from the United States, the European Union, Japan and Taiwan.
The commerce ministry's findings conclude a probe launched in May 2024, shortly after the U.S. sharply increased tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, computer chips and other imports.
POM copolymers can partially replace metals such as copper and zinc and have various applications including in auto parts, electronics and medical equipment, the ministry has said.
In January the ministry said initial investigations had determined that dumping was taking place, and implemented preliminary anti-dumping measures in the form of a deposit starting from January 24.
According to Sunday's announcement, the highest anti-dumping rates of 74.9% were levied on imports from the United States, while European shipments will face 34.5% duties.
China slapped 35.5% duties on Japanese imports, except for Asahi Kasei Corp, which received a company-specific rate of 24.5%.
General duties of 32.6% were placed on imports from Taiwan, while Formosa Plastics received a 4% tariff and Polyplastics Taiwan 3.8%.
Hopes have risen that the U.S.-China trade war is easing after the two sides said on Monday they had agreed to slash reciprocal tariffs in a 90-day truce, a deal that state mouthpiece the Global Times said on Friday should be extended.
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation group of nations warned of 'fundamental challenges' facing the global trading system in a communique on Friday after a meeting in South Korea.

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The Sun
43 minutes ago
- The Sun
US, China agree on trade ‘framework' after high-level talks
LONDON: Top officials from the United States and China said Tuesday that they had agreed on a 'framework' to move forward on trade, following two days of high-level talks in London to resolve tensions. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick expressed optimism after a full day of negotiations that concerns surrounding rare earth minerals and magnets 'will be resolved' eventually, as the deal is implemented. But this framework will first need to be approved by leaders in Washington and Beijing, officials said, at the end of meetings at the British capital's historic Lancaster House. All eyes were on the outcomes of negotiations as both sides tried to overcome an impasse over export restrictions. US officials earlier accused Beijing of slow-walking approvals for shipments of rare earths. The world's two biggest economies were also seeking a longer-lasting truce in their escalating tariffs war, with levies currently only temporarily on hold. 'We're moving as quickly as we can,' US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told reporters. 'We would very much like to find an agreement that makes sense for both countries,' he added, noting that the relationship was complex. 'We feel positive about engaging with the Chinese,' he maintained. Speaking separately to reporters, China International Trade Representative Li Chenggang said: 'Our communication has been very professional, rational, in-depth and candid.' Li expressed hope that progress made in London would help to boost trust on both sides. Productive talks US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent earlier described the closely-watched trade talks as productive, although scheduling conflicts prompted his departure from London with negotiations still ongoing. Bessent, who led the US delegation with Lutnick and Greer, left early to return to Washington for testimony before Congress, a US official told AFP. Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng headed his country's team in London, which included Li and Commerce Minister Wang Wentao. Both sides do not yet have another gathering scheduled. But Lutnick said Tuesday that US measures imposed when rare earths 'were not coming' would likely be relaxed once Beijing moved forward with more license approvals. Global stock markets were on edge, but Wall Street's major indexes climbed on hopes for progress earlier Tuesday. The London negotiations follow talks in Geneva last month, which saw a temporary agreement to lower tariffs. This time, China's exports of rare earth minerals -- used in a range of things including smartphones, electric vehicle batteries and green technology -- were a key issue on the agenda. 'In Geneva, we had agreed to lower tariffs on them, and they had agreed to release the magnets and rare earths that we need throughout the economy,' US President Donald Trump's top economic adviser, Kevin Hassett, told CNBC on Monday. Even though Beijing was releasing some supplies, 'it was going a lot slower than some companies believed was optimal', he added. 'Mirror arsenal' Both countries 'have developed almost a mirror arsenal of trade and investment weapons that they can aim at each other,' said Emily Benson, head of strategy at Minerva Technology Futures. As they tap economic tools to try and shift global power structures, she told AFP, it may not be reasonable to expect a typical trade and investment deal. But both sides could find ways to level off a downward spiral. A dialing-down of temperatures could involve Chinese efforts to shore up the process for granting export control licenses, Benson said. She noted Beijing appeared understaffed given the volume of requests. On the US side, this could look like a relaxation of certain export curbs in the high-tech domain, she added. But observers remained cautious, with Thomas Mathews of Capital Economics warning that Washington was unlikely to 'back off completely.' This could weigh on markets. Since returning to office, Trump has slapped a 10 percent levy on friend and foe, threatening steeper rates on dozens of economies. His tariffs have dented trade, with Beijing data showing Chinese exports to the United States plunged in May. The World Bank on Tuesday joined other international organizations to slash its 2025 global growth forecast amid trade uncertainty. China is also in talks with partners including Japan and South Korea to try to build a united front countering Trump's tariffs.


The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
US, China reach deal to ease export curbs, keep tariff truce alive
LONDON: U.S. and Chinese officials said on Tuesday they had agreed on a framework to put their trade truce back on track and remove China's export restrictions on rare earths while offering little sign of a durable resolution to longstanding trade differences. At the end of two days of intense negotiations in London, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told reporters the framework deal puts "meat on the bones" of an agreement reached last month in Geneva to ease bilateral retaliatory tariffs that had reached crushing triple-digit levels. But the Geneva deal had faltered over China's continued curbs on critical minerals exports, prompting the Trump administration to respond with export controls of its own preventing shipments of semiconductor design software, chemicals and other technology goods to China. Lutnick said the agreement reached in London would remove some of the recent U.S. export restrictions, but did not provide details after the talks concluded around midnight London time (2300 GMT). "We have reached a framework to implement the Geneva consensus and the call between the two presidents," Lutnick said. "The idea is we're going to go back and speak to President Trump and make sure he approves it. They're going to go back and speak to President Xi and make sure he approves it, and if that is approved, we will then implement the framework." In a separate briefing, China's Vice Commerce Minister Li Chenggang also said a trade framework had been reached that would be taken back to U.S. and Chinese leaders. "The two sides have, in principle, reached a framework for implementing the consensus reached by the two heads of state during the phone call on June 5th and the consensus reached at the Geneva meeting," Li told reporters. The dispute may keep the Geneva agreement from unravelling over duelling export controls, but does little to resolve deep differences over Trump's unilateral tariffs and longstanding U.S. complaints about China's state-led, export-driven economic model. The two sides left Geneva with fundamentally different views of the terms of that agreement and needed to be more specific on required actions, said Josh Lipsky, senior director of the Atlantic Council's GeoEconomics Center in Washington. "They are back to square one but that's much better than square zero," Lipsky added. The two sides have until August 10 to negotiate a more comprehensive agreement to ease trade tensions, or tariff rates will snap back from about 30% to 145% on the U.S. side and from 10% to 125% on the Chinese side. Investors, who have been badly burned by trade turmoil before, offered a cautious response and MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.2%. "The devil will be in the details, but the lack of reaction suggests this outcome was fully expected," said Chris Weston, head of research at Pepperstone in Melbourne. "The details matter, especially around the degree of rare earths bound for the U.S., and the subsequent freedom for U.S.-produced chips to head east, but for now as long as the headlines of talks between the two parties remain constructive, risk assets should remain supported." RESOLVING RESTRICTIONS Lutnick said China's restrictions on exports of rare earth minerals and magnets to the U.S. will be resolved as a "fundamental" part of the framework agreement. "Also, there were a number of measures the United States of America put on when those rare earths were not coming," Lutnick said. "You should expect those to come off, sort of as President Trump said, in a balanced way." U.S. President Donald Trump's shifting tariff policies have roiled global markets, sparked congestion and confusion in major ports, and cost companies tens of billions of dollars in lost sales and higher costs. The World Bank on Tuesday slashed its global growth forecast for 2025 by four-tenths of a percentage point to 2.3%, saying higher tariffs and heightened uncertainty posed a "significant headwind" for nearly all economies. But markets have made up much of the losses they endured after Trump unveiled his sweeping "Liberation Day" tariffs in April, aided by the reset in Geneva between the world's two biggest economies. PHONE CALL HELPED The second round of U.S.-China talks was given a major boost by a rare phone call between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping last week, which Lutnick said provided directives that were merged with Geneva truce agreement. Customs data published on Monday showed that China's exports to the U.S. plunged 34.5% in May, the sharpest drop since the outbreak of the COVID pandemic. While the impact on U.S. inflation and its jobs market has so far been muted, tariffs have hammered U.S. business and household confidence and the dollar remains under pressure. Lutnick was joined by U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent at the London talks. Bessent departed hours before their conclusion to return to Washington to testify before Congress on Wednesday. China holds a near-monopoly on rare earth magnets, a crucial component in electric vehicle motors, and its decision in April to suspend exports of a wide range of critical minerals and magnets upended global supply chains. In May, the U.S. responded by halting shipments of semiconductor design software and chemicals and aviation equipment, revoking export licences that had been previously issued. Just after the framework deal was announced, a U.S. appeals court allowed Trump's most sweeping tariffs to stay in effect while it reviews a lower court decision blocking them on grounds that they exceeded Trump's legal authority by imposing them. The decision keeps alive a key pressure point on China, Trump's currently suspended 34% "reciprocal" duties that had prompted swift tariff escalation. - Reuters


The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
China Aircraft Corporation requests majority stake in Lao Airlines as govt seeks partnership
Lao Airlines inaugural COMAC C909 Commercial flight at Pakse international Airport 12 Apr 2025. - Lao Airlines via Vientiane Times/ANN VIENTIANE: The Lao government is considering a proposal made by Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. (COMAC) to purchase a majority stake in Lao Airlines, the national flag carrier. It comes as the government is seeking to reform key state enterprises in a bid to improve their operation after years of sustained losses. Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone told the National Assembly (NA) on Monday (June 9) that Lao Airlines is one of four key state enterprises that are undergoing reform. The other three are Electricite Du Laos, the Lao State Fuel Company and the Nayobay bank. The government is 'considering the proposal of COMAC on a comprehensive venture, particularly its proposal to hold at least a 51 per cent stake,' the PM told members of the NA's 9th legislature at its ongoing 9th Ordinary Session. The Shanghai-headquartered aircraft manufacturer and Lao Airlines signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the joint venture in October 2024. An independent auditing firm is currently carrying out an audit to determine the total value of Lao Airlines' assets. As part of the partnership negotiation, COMAC asked to exclude Lao Airlines' existing debts from the venture deal. NA member for Vientiane, Valy Vetsaphong, disagreed with the request to remove the airline's debt from the deal, saying that if it is cut out Laos would do better to employ more competent executives or a CEO to manage the operation of Lao Airlines instead of selling a majority stake in the company. No party, she added, should be allowed to interfere with the airline's operation or ask it to subsidise in any form. She also disagreed with the idea of allowing a foreign entity to hold a majority stake given that Lao Airlines is of strategic importance. But another NA member supported the idea of selling off a larger stake within a certain timeframe to be specified in a joint venture agreement, after which Laos should be entitled to purchase sufficient shares to hold the majority stake. This process would also enable the transfer of know-how. PM Sonexay said the Chinese company has also asked that Lao Airlines use COMAC-made planes for commercial flights, a move already undertaken by Lao Airlines with the addition of a COMAC C909 jet to its fleet in April this year. Acquired through a lease agreement with COMAC, the aircraft, configured with 90 economy class seats, has been deployed on key domestic routes, including services between Vientiane and Pakxe, as well as between Vientiane and Savannakhet. Plans are in place to expand operations to additional destinations, particularly in China, according to Lao Airlines. The Chinese manufacturer is also providing comprehensive support services to ensure that operational standards meet stringent international safety regulations. Lao Airlines' network of scheduled flights extends to at least ten international destinations and seven locations within Laos. This is complemented by charter flights to destinations in countries like China and South Korea. Founded in 1976, the Lao national flag carrier also has interline and codeshare partnerships with over 30 airlines globally. COMAC's requested partnership with Lao Airlines is part of its broader expanding presence in South-East Asia. - Vientiane Times/ANN